Britain’s Heather Watson has won her first WTA title in four years, claiming the Mexican Open by beating Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-1 in the final.
Watson was the highest-ranked player left in the draw when she took on the teenager in Acapulco, the British number two serving up six aces as the pair battled it out for almost three hours.
“I’m so happy to get my fourth title,” Watson said after her win.
“It’s been a few years, so I’m just really, really happy I came through that match.”
The number seven seed’s most recent title also came in Mexico, at Monterrey in 2016. Her other career WTA singles titles were at Osaka in 2012 and Hobart in 2015 – all four on hardcourt.
“It was so up and down,” Watson added.
“I had those (match) points in the second set, and I wasn’t able to win that, but I was really pleased with how I stayed in the moment, and won that third set.”
Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka powered her way to victory in the Qatar Total Open final by beating Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-3.
Belarussia’s Sabalenka produced an impressive display of heavy hitting to clinch her third WTA title in six months and sixth in total, overcoming the Czech Republic’s Kvitova in one hour and 14 minutes.
Ninth seed Sabalenka, who was not broken and saved all five break points she faced in one game in the second set, hit seven aces and 21 winners.
The 21-year-old will climb up two places to world number 11 in the new WTA rankings on Monday.