KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 6 (UPI) -- Australia's Jelena Dokic battled back from the brink Sunday, fending off several match points to down Czech Lucie Safarova in the Malaysian Open title match.
Dokic was facing defeat in the second set but held on to complete a 2-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4 victory in two hours, 41 minutes, collecting her sixth career WTA championship and first in nearly nine years.
Safarova blew multiple match-point opportunities after dominating the first set, allowing Dokic to escape. The Czech had another chance to close out a victory when she went up 3-1 in the third, but the Australian again battled back.
Dokic, 27, a former teen phenomenon, win five titles in 2001 and 2002, rising to No. 4 in the world before injuries and personal issues set her back. Her performance in Malaysia was the first time she had reached a WTA final since 2003.
Safarova, meanwhile, fell short in her bid for a fifth career championship.
