OSAKA (Japan): Marion Bartoli defeated US Open champion Samantha Stosur of Australia to win back the singles title she won in 2006 at the Japan Women’s Open tennis tournament on Sunday.
The French second seed, who eliminated Angelique Kerber of Germany in the rain-delayed semifinals earlier in the day, went on to win the final with a 6-3, 6-1 victory in 74 minutes.
It was Bartoli’s second title of the season, following her triumph at Eastbourne, and seventh career title, taking the winner’s check of $37,000.
Bartoli, who won the Eastbourne tournament this summer, defeated third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-1, 7-6 (5) in one semifinal, while Stosur bested unseeded Zie Jheng of China 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 in the other.
Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm gave local fans something to cheer about when she teamed up with China’s Zhang Shuai to win the doubles title, beating American Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 7-5, 3-6, 11-9. (Agencies)
