SHENZHEN, China (AP) - Top-ranked Simona Halep beat defending champion Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in the final of the Shenzhen Open on Saturday.
Halep coasted through the first set, breaking Siniakova twice in a dominant start in which she lost just seven points on serve.
Siniakova found her rhythm in the second set, breaking in the fourth game to move 3-1 ahead.
Despite being broken back in the next game, the sixth-seeded Czech maintained her focus to take Halep’s serve twice more and level the match at a set apiece.
Halep broke her opponent three times in the final set to seal the win.
The final was moved indoors after repeated rain delays and began six hours after its scheduled start time.
Both players were bidding to join Li Na as two-time champions at the event. Halep won here in 2015 and Siniakova claimed the title a year ago.
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