The country’s top female player Katharina Lehnert partnered German Michaela Frlicka to the doubles crown of the $10,000 WTA Manama tournament recently in Bahrain.
The Filipino-German Lehnert, ranked 552nd in singles from a high of 389th last year, also made the semifinals in singles. She now ranks No. 562 in doubles.
Born in Braunschweig, Germany, the 20-year-old Lehnert bagged the second doubles title of her young career after winning last year in the $10,000 Antalya meet with Victorija Golubic of Switzerland.
Lehnert and Frlicka, seeded third, stunned top seeds Fatima Al Nabhani of Oman and Khristine Karimova of Ukraine, 6-3, 6-2, in the semifinals.
The pair then bested Czech Republic’s Linda Dubska and Russia’s Evgeniya Svitsova in the title match, 6-0, 6-2.