GUANGZHOU, China (AP)—South Africa’s Chanelle Scheepers won her first WTA title on Saturday, beating Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the Guangzhou Open.
Scheepers, the seventh seed, broke her opponent four times and saved two break points on her own serve.
Scheepers is ranked 73rd in the world, just one spot below Rybarikova. The Slovakian player had been trying for her second title of the season.
Scheepers fought of a match point in the second round and knocked off top-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 in a three-hour, 23-minute semifinal match on Friday.
She’s the first South African woman to win a title since Amanda Coetzer at Acapulco in 2003.
“The title means a lot to me because I’ve worked so hard, to finally win one is really rewarding,” she said. “Being the first since Amanda is the cherry on the cake.”