AMSTERDAM: Aleksandra Krunic fought back from the brink for a second day running before lifting her maiden tour-level title with a battling 6-7(0) 7-5 6-1 win over Kirsten Flipkens in the final of the Libema Open in Rosmalen, s’Hertogenbosch on Sunday. Serbian Krunic, who had to survive a match point against two-time champion and top seed CoCo Vandeweghe in Saturday’s semi-final, again stared at defeat as the Belgian Flipkens served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. Yet the 32-year-old Flipkens, a finalist in this Dutch grass court tournament – a traditional warm-up event for Wimbledon – back in 2013, again missed out, playing a nervy game before really struggling physically. Krunic, the world No.55, became the first Serbian winner on the WTA tour since Jelena Jankovic in 2015. Published in Daily Times, June 19th 2018.