GUANGZHOU: Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic in straight sets on Saturday to win the WTA Guangzhou International Women’s Open.

Fourth seed Jankovic defeated Allertova 6-2, 6-0 to take the tournament with prize money of $226,750. The match lasted one hour and 10 minutes.

The 30-year-old former world number one Jankovic, now with 14 singles titles, was the only seeded player left in competition that saw a number of upsets.

Allertova, 22 and playing in her first WTA final, was ahead in the first set 2-1, but Jankovic won the next 11 games in a row to take the tournament, clinching the win with an ace on the final serve.

“It’s amazing to win a title in China for the second time this year — obviously China is very special to me,” Jankovic said in comments to spectators after the match that were posted on the WTA website.

“I really want to thank the fans, not just for today, but for supporting me for such a long time now, and coming out many, many years whenever I come to China.”

Jankovic moves on to the Wuhan Open, also in China, which will feature top players including Romania’s Simona Halep and Russia’s Maria Sharapova, ranked number two and three in the world respectively.

Jankovic won the WTA 125K Series title in Nanchang earlier this year, according to the website.

Allertova, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with her performance.


Bencic beats Wozniacki to face Radwanska at Pan Pacific final

Teenage giant-killer Belinda Bencic outperformed top seed and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday to advance to the Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo against Agnieszka Radwanska.

Beaming with confidence, the eighth seed will carry her incredible momentum into the match against the experienced Pole, whom Bencic beat in June in the final of the Aegon International in Eastbourne, the first WTA title for the youngster.

The rising star has surprised the world this year by bagging impressive wins, beating the likes of Serena Williams and Simona Halep.

“I feel amazing to be in the final. I played for the first time here two years ago, and it was like a huge tournament for me,” Bencic said.

She said the pressure was off, because she had faced and beaten higher-ranking players in Tokyo, including Wozniacki and current world number eight Garbine Muguruza.

“If I lose, it’s OK. If I win, that’s even better,” she said.

Her victory meant the teenager has won all of her four meetings against the Dane this year.

Meanwhile, Radwanska, winner here in 2011 and runner-up in 2012, said she was prepared to face the ambitious Bencic.

“She is on fire, playing a great season, pretty much on every surface,” the Pole said, after defeating Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-1 in their semifinal match.

Sasnovich continues sensational run in Korea

Unheralded qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich continued her sensational run in the semifinals of the WTA Korea Open on Saturday, knocking out Slovakia’s rising star Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

The Belarusian world number 136 was down in the first set but rallied from the second to earn an upset win over tournament second seed Schmiedlova 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In Sunday’s final, Sasnovich, 21, who stunned American third seed Sloane Stephens in the quarter-finals, will face Romanian top seed Irina Begu, ranked 29th in the world.

In the day’s second match, Begu overpowered her semifinal opponent Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium 6-0, 6-2.