Anisimova wins China Open, defeating Noskova in final

Third-seeded Amanda Anisimova claimed the China Open with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 win over Linda Noskova in the final of the hard-court tournament Sunday.

Anisimova, who ended fellow American Coco Gauff's title defense in the semifinal, sealed the match with a backhand winner down the line and fell on her back as she won the trophy for the first time.

Noskova offered a tough challenge but ran out of steam in the closing stages of their encounter, which lasted 1 hour, 46 minutes.

Anisimova, the runner-up at the US Open and Wimbledon this year who has risen to No. 4 in the world rankings, claimed her second WTA 1000 title of the season. She also won in Doha in February.

"It's been quite a few weeks for me, for sure," Anisimova said in her postmatch news conference. "I feel like I've learned a lot about myself. I think I can take a lot of positives and look at it as a lot of progress for me just figuring out ways to face certain challenges and push myself in moments when it feels like I can't go any further."

The 20-year-old Noskova had saved three match points in the semifinals to become the youngest Czech player to advance this far at a WTA 1000 event since the format was introduced in 2009.

Anisimova needed just 23 minutes to take the opening set after converting all three break points. Noskova forced a decider after breaking Anisimova at the start of the second set. The American player then raised her game and won the last four games.

She became the third American player to capture the trophy after Serena Williams (2004, '13) and Gauff.

The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.