Ashleigh Barty rallies to win Stuttgart title

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty poses with the trophy and car after 

winning the Final against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka Pool - Reuters

Reuters: Top seed and World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty of Australia rallied to beat No. 5 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to claim the title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.

For Barty, who turned 25 Saturday, it was the third straight match in which she lost the first set. Barty was facing a top-10 player in the world rankings in each of those matches.

It is Barty’s third title of 2021 and 11th of her career. She is also the first reigning No. 1 to win the title at Stuttgart since Justine Henin of Belgium in 2007.

Romania’s Sorana Cirstea stunned top-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-1, 7-6 (3) to win the title in Istanbul.

Cirstea, 31, broke Mertens three times in racing through the first set, then battled back to win the second set after falling behind 4-1.

It’s the second career title and first since 2008 (Tashkent) for Cirstea, who improved to 3-0 against Mertens.