“A lot of emotions are going through my body at the moment. I’m really happy, really excited. I really had to be at my best to win today.”
The 29-year-old American, who faces Danka Kovinic in the first round of the Australian Open, became the fourth qualifier to win a title in Hobart after Germany’s Mona Barthel, Spaniard Garbine Muguruza and Belgian Elise Mertens.
At the Adelaide Tune-Up Tournament, Swiss Belinda Bencic broke Daria Kasatkina seven times in the final to win 6–0 6–2 and claim her eighth career title after both players received walkovers in the semi-finals.
Tokyo Olympic champion Bencic did not face a single break point in the 67-minute contest as she won eight games in a row.
Bencic, seeded 12th at the Australian Open, opens her campaign against Bulgarian Victoria Tomova, while Kasatkina, seeded eighth, will face Russian compatriot Varvara Gracheva.