American Navarro beats Mertens in Hobart for first WTA title

Hobart, Australia, 13 Jan - 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.

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.

But Navarro won the next two games to swing the momentum back in her favour
and closed out the match.