Zhang beats King for Guangzhou crown

Guangzhou, China – China's Zhang Shuai claimed her first WTA singles title with a straight-set win over American Vania King in Saturday's final at the Guangzhou Open.

Zhang, whose best previous WTA singles result was a semifinal appearance at this event in 2010, battled through a difficult first set and cruised in the second to capture a 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 victory. She is the first Chinese winner in Guangzhou since Yan Zi in 2005.

King had a couple of chances to grab a lead in the first set, but failed to convert either of her break-point opportunities. Zhang didn't earn a break point in the 65-minute set, but dominated the tiebreaker and rolled through a 32-minute second set.

Zhang picked up her first break of serve to start the second set. She broke twice more while winning 26 of the 37 total points played in the set.

King fell to 1-1 lifetime in finals. She won her lone title seven years ago in Bangkok.

Zhang, who lost to King in their lone previous meeting two years ago in Tokyo, collected a first prize of $112,080.