Tennis: Arruabarrena beats Niculescu in Korea Open final for first WTA Tour title since 2012

Lara Arruabarrena hits a backhand return to Monica Niculescu during the women's final match of the 2016 Korea Open Tennis Championships in Seoul on Sept 25, 2016. PHOTO: EPA

SEOUL (AFP) - Spain's Lara Arruabarrena beat Romanian fifth seed Monica Niculescu Sunday to win the Korea Open, her first WTA Tour singles tennis title for more than four years.

The 24-year-old triumphed over Niculescu, currently the world No. 55, 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 to take home US$43,000 (S$58,440) in prize money.

Arruabarrena, ranked 90th, earlier defeated Romania's Patricia Tig in the semi-finals.

It was the Spaniard's second WTA singles title after her first in Bogota, Colombia in February 2012.

She won doubles' titles at the Korea Open in 2014 and 2015.

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