Svitolina holds off Babos to win third WTA title

Svitolina extended her unbeaten record in finals to 3-0 after hitting nine aces and breaking Babos four times. (J Pat Carter/AP)

MARRAKECH, Morocco — Fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina saved eight of 11 break points on her way to her third WTA title as she defeated unseeded Timea Babos 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the Grand Prix SAR final on Saturday.

Svitolina extended her unbeaten record in finals to 3-0 after hitting nine aces and breaking Babos four times.

The 25th-ranked Ukrainian won her previous titles in Baku in 2013 and 2014.

Babos, who beat fifth-seeded Mona Barthel and third-seeded Flavia Pennetta to reach the final, relinquished a 5-2 lead in the opening set as she failed to convert five set points. She was also two points away from sealing the second set at 5-4.

But Svitolina won the last 11 points of the first set, and proved the strongest in the tiebreak.

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