Dutch qualifier Lamens wins Osaka Open for first WTA title, breaks world’s top 100

Dutch qualifier Suzan Lamens beat Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell 6-0, 6-4 to win the Osaka Open title at the Utsubo Tennis Center on Sunday night.

It’s the first WTA title for the 25-year-old and she will break into the world’s top 100 for the first time on Monday, predicted to be ranked No 87.

Lamens, ranked No 125, defeated Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova, the No 6 seed (6-1, 6-2), Italian Lucia Bronzetti (6-3, 6-4), Romanian qualifier Ana Bogdan (4-6, 6-3, 6-3) and Frenchwoman Diane Parry, the No 7 seed (6-2, 6-4) ahead of her victory.

In the previous rounds of the Osaka tournament, Birrell, ranked No 150, beat Chinese Saisai Zheng (6-2, 6-3), Belgian Elise Mertens, the No 3 seed (3-6, 7-5, 4-1 ret.), Japanese wildcard Sara Saito (7-5, 6-4) and Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito (6-4, 6-3).