Vesnina dethrones Barthel to win first WTA title

Elena Vesnina ended Mona Barthel's 12-match winning streak in Hobart to claim her first WTA title.

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HOBART, Australia (AP) -- Russia's Elena Vesnina captured her first WTA title by beating defending champion Mona Barthel 6-3 6-4 on Saturday in the final of the Hobart International.

The 68th-ranked and unseeded Vesnina ended the German's winning run of 12-straight matches in Hobart, and finally clinched her first title after five previous losses in finals.

The 26-year-old Vesnina took the first set in 37 minutes with service breaks in the seventh and ninth games. She clinched the match in 1 hour, 23 minutes with two breaks to one in the second set.

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