Vashi, December 14: Qualifier Rika Fujiwara saved two match points to stun Top seeded Magda Linette of Poland to win the Singles finals at the Ganesh Naik ITF $25000 Womens Championships which concluded at the Ganesh Naik Tennis Complex here .
In the finals the old warhorse Rika Fujiwara won her seventh match on a trot to come back from 3-5 (15-40) in the third set to win 3-6,7-6(7-4),7-6(7-5) in a battle over 2.40 mins to scrape past top seeded Magda Linette of Poland .
The 32 year old Fujiwara who had won her last ITF event in Pune four years ago , played aggressively rushing to the net on numerous occasions and unnerving her opponent 12 years younger to her. The former world no 84 and current Japanese National champion Fujiwara saved two match points in the eighth game of the third set with a brilliant cross court volley and a back hand smash and then held on to her ninth game to level scores at 5-5. Both players then held on to serves forcing a tiebreak.
The Experienced Japanese who had support of over 2000 spectators , attacked the young Linnette on her backhand and moving to the net and creating points. Fujiwara jumped high when she hit a brilliant forehand winner to win the match and the top prize of $3919 and 50 WTA points while the runners up Linette got $2100 and 32 points.
The prizes were given away at the hands of Mr. Ganesh Naik Minister of Excise and Nonconventional energy Govt of Maharashtra and Mr Bharat Oza Secretary AITA
Following are the results:Final round:
Rika Fujiwara(Japan) bt Magda Linette(Poland,S.1) 3-6, 7-6(7-4),7-6(7-5)