Hsieh beats Robson to win Guangzhou Open

BEIJING: Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh beat Briton Laura Robson in the WTA Guangzhou Open final on Saturday, ending the teenager's attempt to become the first British woman to win a main tour title in 24 years.

Hsieh won the match 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 48 minutes, leaving the 18-year-old Robson, who had been 3-0 ahead in the final set, still waiting for a maiden tour win.

Robson, the world No.74, had defeated Chinese second seed Zheng Jie and Romanian third seed Sorana Cirstea on her way to becoming the first British woman to reach a main tour final since 1990.

But her attempt to follow up her Olympic mixed doubles silver with compatriot Andy Murray by taking her first senior tour title ended in failure.

The win gave Hsieh the second WTA title of her career and made her one of only two players from Taiwan, officially referred to in competition as Chinese Taipei, ever to win a WTA title.

Nonetheless British tennis appears to be in a historic purple patch, with Murray's triumph at the US Open earlier this month making him the first men's winner of a Grand Slam tournament in 76 years.

Reaching the final in Guangzhou was a landmark in a superb season for Australian-born Robson, who also made an impressive run to the last 16 of the US Open, beating Kim Clijsters and Li Na.

The teenager became British No.1 earlier this week and is the youngest player in the WTA top 100 rankings.

She was the first British woman to contest a WTA tour singles final since Jo Durie at the Virginia Slims of Newport tournament in the US, 22 years ago.

Sara Gomer was the last Briton to win a WTA singles title, taking the Northern California Open in 1988. (AFP)