Kuznetsova downs Mauresmo to clinch Beijing title

BEIJING: Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova won her second title in two weeks with a 6-4 6-0 victory over France's world number one Amelie Mauresmo in a rain-disrupted China Open final on Sunday.   

The world number five, who also triumphed in Bali last week, claimed her eighth career title when top seed Mauresmo's game fell apart after a two-hour break for wet weather.   

The second-seeded Kuznetsova had just broken back to level the first set at 4-4 when the rain began at the Beijing Tennis Centre. After the players returned to the court she won the next eight games in just over half an hour.   

With the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion flailing wildly at the ball, the 27-year-old Kuznetsova wrapped up her third victory over the Frenchwoman this year with a crisp service return.