Anastasija Sevastova beats Julia Goerges to end seven-year title drought with Mallorca triumph

Anastasija Sevastova ended a seven-year wait for a WTA Tour title with a hard-fought three-sets victory over Julia Goerges in the Mallorca Open final.

The Latvian won her first crown in Estoril in 2010, later retiring due to injury and illness but returned in 2015 and the wait for another trophy ended with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory in Spain on Sunday.

Last year, Sevastova was a losing finalist to Caroline Garcia but gained revenge on the Frenchwoman in the last four to set up the Goerges showdown.

Following a break apiece midway through the opener, Sevastova wrested the initiative with some neat touches around the net, only for Goerges to take a crucial break in game six of set two to force a decider.

But – in a match in which she hit 32 winners to 25 unforced errors – Sevastova was not to be denied and, although Goerges quickly hit back after being broken in game four, the Latvian went a break ahead again in game six to take a lead she would not relinquish.

Congrats, Anastasija Sevastova!

Lift that @MallorcaOpen trophy! pic.twitter.com/CTvOzXxWrd

— WTA (@WTA) June 25, 2017

At the Aegon International, Carla Suarez Navarro was a comfortable 6-3 6-1 victor over Ekaterina Makarova.

Lara Arruabarrena, Alison Riske, Mona Barthel, Elise Mertens, Heather Watson and Monica Niculescu were also first-round winners at Eastbourne.