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Stosur captures first WTA title at Japan Open

Sunday, October 18, 2009 OSAKA, Japan: Samantha Stosur captured her first career WTA title when she defeated Francesca Schiavone of Italy to win the Japan Open women's tennis tournament on Sunday.The Australian third seed, who dashed Caroline Wozniacki's defence of the title in the semi-finals on Saturday, chalked up a 7-5, 6-1 victory over the fourth seed in just 68 minutes.It was her sixth appearance in a final, following Cincinnati this year, Seoul in 2008, Prague in 2006, Gold Coast and Sydney in 2005.Stosur, 25, has previously won four ITF titles, three of them in Japan including one in Osaka.Stosur, the 2008 Wimbledon mixed doubles champion, put an end to Japanese Akiko Morigami's last appearance on the tour, and eliminated 2002 champion Jill Craybas of the United States on her way to the final.

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