Watson beats Chang in Osaka final

Updated October 14, 2012 19:48:33

Heather Watson edged past Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan at the Japan Women's Open tennis tournament on Sunday to become the first Briton in 24 years to win a WTA title.

The 20-year-old Watson, having played her first WTA final, squandered one match point when one set and 5-4 up but hit a double fault.

She had to save four match points in the final set before winning 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4).

She became the first Briton to win a WTA title since Sara Gomer at Aptos back in 1988.

Until a few weeks ago no Briton had even reached a WTA final in 22 years until Laura Robson broke the drought with her run to the final in Guangzhou, China.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, japan

First posted October 14, 2012 19:48:33

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Stosur dumped from Osaka semis

Updated October 13, 2012 19:28:51

Sam Stosur's push for the second spot in the Japan Open final failed on Saturday as she fell in three sets to Taipei's Chang Kai-chen.

Stosur lost the first set but reclaimed the second before dropping a hard-fought final set in a tiebreak to go down 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3).

Kai-chen will face Heather Watson in the final after the Brit beat local hopeful Misaki Doi 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.

Tags: tennis, sport, japan

First posted October 13, 2012 19:28:51

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Stosur advances in Osaka

Updated October 08, 2012 18:23:15

Top seed Samantha Stosur progressed to the second round of the Japan Open in Osaka.

The world number nine, who made the final last year, beat local hope Erika Sema 6-4, 6-2.

In other results, fellow Australian Casey Dellacqua downed Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, American Jamie Hampton beat Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-3, 6-2 and France's Pauline Parmentier defeated countrywoman Mathilde Johansson 6-2, 6-2.

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First posted October 08, 2012 18:23:15

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Stosur through to Osaka semis

Updated October 12, 2012 18:39:32

Top seed Samantha Stosur moved through to the semi-finals of the Japan Open with a straight-sets defeat of American Jamie Hampton in Osaka.

Stosur encountered little trouble in winning the quarter-final clash 6-2, 6-4.

She will next meet Taiwan's Chang Kai-Chen, who beat number eight seed Laura Robson of Great Britain 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 ( 7-4).

The other semi-final will be contested by Briton Heather Watson and Japan's Misaki Doi.

Watson triumphed 7-5, 6-3 over France's Pauline Parmentier 7-5, 6-3, while Doi advanced by beating South African seventh seed Chanelle Scheepers 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.

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First posted October 12, 2012 18:38:01

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Stosur beaten in Osaka final

Updated October 16, 2011 20:40:05

Australian US Open champion Samantha Stosur has fallen to France's Marion Bartoli in the final of the Japan Open in Osaka.

The French second seed battered Stosur 6-3, 6-1 in just 74 minutes to claim back the title she first won in 2006.

It was Bartoli's second title of the season, following her triumph at Eastbourne, and seventh of her career.

She qualified for the final after eliminating third seed Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) in the rain-delayed semi-finals earlier in the day.

Stosur, who claimed her first WTA title in Japan in 2009, beat China's Zheng Jie 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3 in a marathon semi that lasted two hours and 36 minutes.

Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm gave local fans something to cheer about when she teamed up with China's Zhang Shuai to win the doubles title, beating American Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 7-5, 3-6, 11-9.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, japan

First posted October 16, 2011 20:40:05

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