Peng wins first tour title in Tianjin

Peng Shuai of China looks at her trophy after winning the singles final match against Alison Riske of the US at the Tianjin Open in Tianjin on Sunday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China's Peng Shuai won the first WTA Tour title of her career on Sunday, beating Alison Riske of the US to secure the Tianjin Open.

Peng - listed as 182nd in the world by the WTA - beat the 56th-ranked American 7-6 (3), 6-2 in an hour and 45 minutes.

Riske's victory in the 2014 Tianjin Open remains her only WTA Tour win. This year's event has total prize money of $426,750.

At the semifinals earlier in the day, she knocked out world No 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in a gruelling encounter lasting two and a half hours with the Russian two-time Grand Slam champion and second seed.

Peng, 30, had defeated Montenegro's Danka Kovinic 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to make it to the finals.

Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, who was to face Peng in the quarterfinals, withdrew from the tournament after injuring her right thigh.

China has hosted an increasing number of WTA tournaments as it seeks more clout in the game.