Amanda Anisimova beat Linda Noskova 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday to win the China Open for her second title of a breakthrough year and fourth overall.
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The third-seeded American survived a second-set wobble to overpower the Czech 26th seed in one hour and 46 minutes in Beijing.
She lifted the trophy in the Chinese capital almost exactly one month after reaching the US Open final, where she lost to world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
The 24-year-old Anisimova is the third American to win the China Open after last year’s champion Coco Gauff and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
Anisimova collapsed to the hard court in victory, lying on her back and putting her hands over her face.
Anisimova began ruthlessly, winning the first set in 23 minutes without dropping a game.
A defiant Noskova found her feet in the second set, breaking early and powering to a 5-2 lead before closing out.
The two went toe-to-toe in the decider until Anisimova broke for a 4-2 lead, digging deep to reach the finish line with a winner on the first match point.
It’s been a stellar season for the world number four, who was also runner-up at Wimbledon.
This time last year, Anisimova was at world no. 43.
Anisimova dumped out second seed Gauff in the Beijing semi-finals, thrashing the two-time Grand Slam winner 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes.
Noskova, who started her Beijing run as the world’s No. 27, was playing in her first WTA 1000 final.
AFP