By Adrianna Outlaw | Saturday, May 6, 2017

 

German qualifier Mona Barthel beat hometown favorite Kristyna Pliskova, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, to capture her fourth career title in Prague.

Photo credit: TK Sparta Praha / Pavel Lebeda (sport-pics.cz)

Nearly bounced out of qualifying, Mona Barthel rose to rule Prague today.

The 82nd-ranked Barthel rallied past hometown favorite Kristyna Pliskova, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, to collect her fourth career title in the Czech capital city.

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The German qualifier claimed her first WTA title since she won the 2014 Bastad championship.

“I still can’t believe it," Barthel told the crowd in Prague. "It was such a long and tough week, especially today.

"I felt so exhausted and Kristyna played so well in the first set. I actually don’t know how I did it! I was just trying to fight and trying to keep playing and somehow I made it."



It was Barthel’s eighth straight victory in eight days as she played through qualifying to reach the main draw.

The 26-year-old German, who fought off three match points in her second-round qualifying win, beat third-seeded Czech Barbora Strycova in the semifinals before rallying past the left-handed Pliskova today.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova watched the final from the stands.

Pliskova was bidding to join twin sister Karolina Pliskova as the second Pliskova to raise the title trophy in the last three years.



Barthel, who hit eight aces and 10 double faults, denied all three break points she faced in the final set, wrapping up a one hour, 55-minute victory.

Barthel, who collected a champion's check for $43,000 as well as 280 ranking points, snapped a two-year run of Czech champions.

Lucie Safarova was the 2016 Prague champion after Karolina Pliskova, Kristyna's twin sister, raised the title trophy in 2015.