Parks stuns French favourite Garcia to win Lyon Open
Fast-rising American Alycia Parks pulled off a stunning victory over world number five and home favourite Caroline Garcia to snare the Lyon Open title.
Playing her first final on the main WTA tour, Parks earned a 7-6 (9-7) 7-5 win against last year's WTA Finals champion.
The Atlanta-born world number 79 won two titles at lower-tier WTA 125 events in December, triumphing in Andorra and the French city of Angers while many players were enjoying an off-season.
Yet this week has been a step up from that level, and 22-year-old Parks capped her run to the final by taking down the top seed and darling of the crowd.
"This title means a lot to me," Parks said. "France has a special part in my heart right now."
A see-saw tie-breaker in the opening set eventually went Parks' way after a stray forehand from Garcia.
A painful fall when running to her right on the baseline meant Parks needed medical attention early in the second set but she was able to carry on.
Garcia tried to rouse the crowd after clinging to her serve in the eighth game to stay on level terms, and there were unsporting cheers for a double fault from Parks at the start of the ninth.
Yet Parks was not knocked out of her stride, with the player who stood 199th on the rankings at this time last year completing the biggest win of her career when Garcia double faulted on match point.
