Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak bested France's Marion Bartoli to win the $600,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis event on Sunday.

Wozniak succeeded in winning her first career title by defeating Bartoli 7-5, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

Wozniak won the semifinal when top-seeded Serena Williams pulled out with a knee injury in the second set. Then Bartoli was slowed in the final by a sore left hip that left her limping badly late in the match.

"I don't know what's happening," Wozniak said. "I guess I make them run too much or something. Saturday (Serena) pulled out and today Marion got hurt. I don't know. I just kept playing aggressive and doing what I needed to do to win."


Wozniak, who is ranked 85th in the world, is the fifth Canadian ever to claim a WTA singles crown.

"It feels great," Wozniak said. "It's my first title on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and I'm really excited and proud of what I have accomplished here advancing through the qualifying round. Everybody was watching the match. I'm just proud of being Canadian."

The 23-year-old Bartoli, a surprise finalist at Wimbledon last year, was appearing in her first final of the year.

She was looking for her first victory since 2006, when she won three singles crowns.

"It's really disappointing for me," Bartoli said. "I was able to play some really great tennis to be able to be in the final. I thought I really had a shot to win a Tier II event. But each day is different."

(source The Canadian Press, photo/AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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