Australian tennis player Kimberly Birrell fell short of her first WTA title at the Chennai Open, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Indonesia's Janice Tjen in the final. The 27-year-old from the Gold Coast was defeated in straight sets, with her serve broken five times during the two-hour match.
Despite the loss, Birrell earned the Margaret Amritraj Fairplay Award for her sportsmanship in the semifinal. She battled back from 5-0 down in the final set and saved five match points to defeat Taiwan's Joanna Garland in a grueling 3-hour, 24-minute match, the longest of her career.
During the semifinal, Birrell showed concern for Garland, who struggled with cramp and illness. After winning, Birrell hugged and consoled her opponent rather than celebrating. 'When your opponent and a friend is struggling like that, it's really hard to concentrate,' Birrell said.
Vijay Amritraj presented the award, named after his mother, saying, 'I thought this match was truly one of those matches.' The disappointment of the final was tempered by Birrell's rise to world number 94, returning to the top 100.
