Garbine Muguruza wins 1st WTA singles tournament

Melbourne: Qualifier Garbine Muguruza of Spain defeated Klara Zakapalova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-0 to win the Hobart International on Saturday, her first WTA singles title.

The 20-year-old Muguzura, who did not drop a set from the qualifiers to the final, joins 2012 champion Mona Barthel as the only qualifiers to win the Hobart event.

Muguruza, ranked 58th, beat second-seeded and Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens in the quarter-finals, while Zakapalova defeated top-seeded and former US Open champion Sam Stosur in the semis.

Muguruza won the opening set when she broke Zakapalova's service in the 10th game.

The Venezuelan-born Muguruza has a first-round match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at the Australian Open.