Linette beats Kung in Thailand to win 2nd WTA title

HUA HIN, Thailand (AP) - Fifth-seeded Magda Linette of Poland won her second WTA title following a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Swiss teenager Leonie Kung in the Thailand Open final on Sunday.

The No 42-ranked Linette, with her powerful serves and consistent baseline game, outplayed the 19-year-old qualifier in just 76 minutes in her fourth tour final. Her previous victory came in the Bronx Open in August 2019.

''I didn't expect this at all coming here. I was even wondering how it was going to be because I was coming from indoor Fed Cup. I had a little time to adjust. I started the match really well and managed to continue throughout,'' said Linette.

Both players held their serves until the sixth game of the first set when Kung double faulted and sent a forehand long to drop the first service game of the match and allowed Linette to build a 4-2 lead.

The Polish player, a semi-finalist last year, got to her first set point at 40-15 after Kung sprayed a backhand wide. She closed out the 42-minute opening set with a big serve that Kung returned into the net.

Linette carried her momentum into the second set, breaking at the start with her attacking return and powerful groundstrokes to take a 1-0 lead. She saved a break point in the fourth game and went on to convert another break opportunity to widen the gap to 4-1.

At 5-2, Linette held to win the title, blasting a fierce serve to force an error from Kung to end the match. She will break into the top 40 for the first time on Monday while Kung will jump from No 283 to inside the top 180.

''I'm happy to play my first WTA final. It's an incredible week. I'm also excited that I will be able to play my first Grand Slam qualifying competition in the French Open,'' said Kung.