Lindsay Davenport claimed one of the most unlikely title victories of her career at the Bali Classic on Sunday when she defeated second seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 3-6 6-2. The 31-year-old American was playing her first singles event in almost a year, only three months after giving birth to son Jagger in June.
"It's just overwhelming and exciting," said Davenport. "Obviously, playing my first tournament back I was unsure physically how I would respond and I swear this is probably the first tournament I've played in four years where I didn't have anything wrong with my lower extremities.
"I think a lot just had to do with being excited to be back out there and being fresh to play. But I never would have expected this to happen so I'm a little bit in shock."
Davenport had been ready to lose in the first round but instead defeated world number three Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals before going on to earn her 52nd title.
It was her seventh win in seven meetings with the willowy Slovak and at 234 she is the lowest-ranked player to win a tournament this year. She is also the second mother to win a title this season, following Austrian Sybille Bammer's February victory in Pattaya.
The contest was far from a classic, with most of the play consisting of baseline rallies with an occasional fine serve or return thrown in.
Davenport earned an early break to lead 2-1, only to net a forehand to end a long rally and allow Hantuchova to level at 2-2. Games then went comfortably with serve until Hantuchova earned a break point to lead 5-3, but she netted a forehand.
Davenport punished her by breaking for 5-4, forcing a forehand error from her return.
Just one break decided the second set, when Davenport netted a backhand to give Hantuchova a 3-1 lead. In the final set, Davenport claimed 15 of 17 points to establish a 4-1 lead, after which Hantuchova received medical attention for a blister on her right ankle. Having broken for 3-1, Davenport broke again for the match to claim her first title since winning Zurich in October 2005.
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