TOKYO — Zarina Diyas won her first WTA title on Sunday, beating home favourite Miyu Kato 6-2, 7-5 to take the Japan Women’s Open title.
In a final made up of two qualifiers, the 23-year-old Diyas broke Kato in the first game before a double fault from the Japanese player at 4-2 allowed the Kazakhstani to serve out for the set.
Diyas broke again in the 11th game of the second set to go up 6-5 before serving out to secure the title.
Her success avenged her disappointment in Japan three years ago, when she lost the final to Samantha Stosur.
The 22-year-old Kato had never reached the quarterfinals at a WTA event before this tournament.
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