CINCINNATI: China's Li Na earned her first title since winning the French Open 15 months ago as she beat Germany's Angelique Kerber 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 to claim the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Li rallied from a crushing first-set loss with some superb serving as she won 80 percent of her first-serve points in the third set.
This was her first tournament under new coach Carlos Rodriguez, who only came on board mid-week.
The ninth seeded Li had lost three finals this season before finally changing her luck against the fifth-seeded Kerber, winner of two titles in 2012.
Li needed 100 minutes to oust Kerber and her victory means she will maintain her current ninth world ranking.
The Chinese No. 1 was playing her second final in as many weeks after losing a title bid in Montreal to Petra Kvitova. (AFP)