Dominant Mertens takes Gippsland Trophy title

[ASFN Admin]

Elise Mertens secured her sixth career WTA title when she made light work of experienced Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-4 6-1 to win the Gippsland Trophy Australian Open warm-up tournament on Sunday. The world number 20, who was handed her final spot when Naomi Osaka withdrew from their semi-final with injury, simply dominated the short contest from the baseline on Margaret Court Arena. World number 94 Kanepi, playing in her first final since 2013, had a couple of tough three-setters earlier in the tournament after coming out of quarantine and struggled to keep up with the pace set by her opponent.

Continue reading...