Carolina Marin lifts China Open after returning from injury

Olympic champion Carolina Marin made a successful comeback on Sunday by defending her China Open title eight months after suffering a career-threatening injury.

The Spaniard tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right leg during the final of the Indonesia Masters in January and had to undergo surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation before returning to court.

The tournament in Changzhou was only the second for the triple world champion after she lost in the first round of the Vietnam Open last week.