Navarro beats Mertens in Hobart for first WTA title

HOBART: Fast-rising American Emma Navarro upset two-time champion Elise Mertens to secure her first WTA title on Saturday with a battling 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win at the Hobart International.

In their first career meeting, the 22-year-old outlasted the Belgian top seed over a gruelling 2 hours 48 minutes to write another chapter in her burgeoning career.

This time last year, Navarro was ranked 149 but has since soared to a career-high 31, having also reached the semi-finals in Auckland this month. She is 8-1 this season heading into the Australian Open, where she will make her main draw debut against China´s Wang Xiyu as the 27th seed.

“I don´t know if I could put words to the emotions, but it´s been a lot of years in the making,” Navarro said.

“My coach and I have been together for eight years, I think. From where we started to now, it´s really crazy to think about.

“Probably six, seven years ago, I was hoping to be a decent college player, and that was going to be good enough for me. So to be here now... I guess just a testament to the work we´ve both put in.” After taking the first set in just 35 minutes, second seed Navarro dropped the second as Mertens fought back.

The Belgian, who won back-to-back Hobart titles in 2017 and 2018, looked on track to take the third set and secure the championship when she held a 5-4 lead.