Daijiworld Media Network - s'Hertogenbosch
s'Hertogenbosch, Jun 14: American tennis player Robin Montgomery captured the first WTA singles title of her career at the Libema Open after top seed Barbora Krejcikova withdrew from the final due to illness on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Montgomery completed a remarkable comeback journey by lifting the trophy in the Dutch grass-court tournament, marking a major breakthrough after returning from a lengthy injury layoff.
Montgomery had been sidelined for nearly 10 months, remaining out of action from June 2025 until April 2026. Entering the tournament as a qualifier and ranked world No. 484, she exceeded expectations by putting together the strongest run of her professional career to reach the final.
The Libema Open was only her third WTA Tour-level appearance since her return to competition, following early exits at tournaments in Bogota and Madrid.
Her triumph also places her among the lowest-ranked players to win a WTA singles title in recent years. Montgomery becomes the lowest-ranked champion on the tour since Elina Svitolina won Strasbourg in 2023 while ranked No. 508.
Only a handful of players, including Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Kim Clijsters, Angelique Widjaja and Svitolina, have claimed WTA singles titles while holding a lower ranking than Montgomery at the time of their victories.
Montgomery's success further highlights the growing impact of qualifiers on the WTA Tour this season. She joins Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Sara Bejlek, who also turned qualifying entries into title-winning campaigns earlier this year.
Krejcikova, meanwhile, was forced to pull out before the championship match after falling ill.
Announcing her withdrawal, the Czech star said she had been advised by the medical team that she was not fit enough to compete.
“I have been feeling unwell and after consulting with the medical team, it became clear that I am not in a condition to play today,” Krejcikova said.
Despite her disappointment, the former Wimbledon champion praised Montgomery's performance throughout the tournament and wished her success for the remainder of the season.
Krejcikova added that she would now focus on recovering and preparing for her return to competition.
For Montgomery, the title represents not only her first WTA trophy but also a significant milestone in a comeback that has rapidly transformed her fortunes on the professional tour.