DUBAI: Italian Jasmine Paolini fought back from a set down to beat qualifier Anna Kalinskaya 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday to secure her second WTA singles title.
Kalinskaya, the Australian Open quarterfinalist, had been on a giant-killing run in Dubai, having stunned world No 1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals after knocking out US Open champion Coco Gauff and Jelena Ostapenko in the previous rounds.
The Russian took the opening set, but Paolini mounted a comeback and levelled the tie – only to then find herself in trouble in the decider as she slipped to within a game of defeat at 3-5.
But she kept her composure to seal the win, becoming only the fourth player in 24 years to win the final in Dubai after dropping the first set.