China Open: Caroline Wozniacki beats Anastasija Sevastova to win title
- Published
Caroline Wozniacki has already qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals, where she is the defending champion
World number two Caroline Wozniacki won her third event of the season with a straight-set victory over Anastasija Sevastova in the China Open final.
The Australian Open champion won 6-3 6-3 in 87 minutes in Beijing to claim her first title since Eastbourne in June.
"China always holds a special place in my heart as I became number one here for the first time eight years ago," said 2010 champion Wozniacki.
It is the 30th title of the 28-year-old Dane's career.
Second seed Wozniacki claimed the only break of the first set in the sixth game and eventually served out the opener.
She raced into a 4-1 lead in the second set by breaking Sevastova's serve twice.
However, the Latvian, ranked 20th, hit back and had several chances to draw level against the Wozniacki serve in the eighth game, only for the Dane to eventually hold to lead 5-3.
She sealed the win with the second of three match points on her own serve.
Sevastova is set to move up to 12th in the new world rankings on Monday despite missing out on her third title of the season.
Meanwhile, US Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of next week's Hong Kong Open because of a back injury.
The Japanese world number six complained of the problem during her semi-final defeat by Sevastova at the China Open on Saturday, receiving treatment on the court.
The 20-year-old said after her loss to the unseeded Sevastova that her US Open win is causing her "stress" as she battles to "prove" herself.
"I have been playing through pain in my back this whole week," said Osaka.
"The doctors have advised me that I need to rest to ensure the injury is not further aggravated."