Yuan beats Wang to win Austin Open in all-Chinese final

Yue Yuan defeated compatriot Xiyu Wang 6-4, 7-6 (4) to lift the Austin Open trophy at the Westwood Country Club.

It was a close battle between two players separated by just four ranking positions. Wang took an early lead in the opening set only for Yuan to break back before striking for a second time en route to taking six of the next eight games to seal the set.

The second set looked to be a straightforward affair for the world No 68 as she moved a double break up to serve for the title at 5-2.

However, Wang struck back twice to gain parity at 5-5 before forcing a tiebreak.

Despite a valiant fightback from Wang, and noticeable tightness from her opponent, it was Yuan who rose to the occasion in the tiebreak, finally getting over the line on her fourth match point.

In the previous rounds of the Austin tournament, Yuan, ranked No 68, beat Australian Arina Rodionova (3-6, 6-3, 6-1), American Taylor Townsend (6-3, 7-6 (5)), Yafan Wang (6-3, 7-5) and Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6-0, 6-3).

Wang, ranked No 64, defeated Argentinian Nadia Podoroska (7-5, 6-4), Latvian Darja Semenistaja (6-1, 6-2), American Danielle Collins, the No 3 seed (6-2 ret.) and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, the top seed (6-3, 7-6 (4)) earlier in the tournament.