Spain's rising star coasts to Hobart win

The comparison with Ana Ivanovic is striking, and Garbine Muguruza has shown she has the game to match it by winning the Hobart International.

Spanish tennis player Garbine Muguruza

Spain's Garbine Muguruza has won her first WTA title from qualifying at the Hobart International. (AAP)

An Ana Ivanovic lookalike tipped to give the top 20 a shake this year has coasted to her first WTA title at the Hobart International.

Qualifier Garbine Muguruza didn't drop a set in eight straight wins at the tournament, topping it off with a 6-4 6-0 mauling of seventh seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova.

The 20-year-old world No.58 had too much power for her veteran opponent, blowing her away with a flurry of groundstroke winners.

Her six-foot frame and long dark hair give her a striking resemblance to former world No.1 Ivanovic.

"I think it's more in the aspect than in the game," she said, indicating her outfit.

"It's so good if you compare me with her, I'm very happy."

The Venezuelan-born right-hander burst onto the tour last year, rocketing to No.53 before suffering a fracture in her ankle that caused her to miss two months' tennis.

The recovery took even longer and her joy at winning a maiden title was clearly matched by her ankle holding up.

"I started to play on a chair (during the recovery) and then it was a little bit more until I was like normal," she said.

"I didn't expect to win a lot of matches in the second tournament of the year but I just know that I'd worked so hard before.

"I was like a big bull.

"At home I was like, if I go to the tournament I'm going to fight so much.

"So that's what I did."

Muguruza made the second round in her debut Australian Open campaign last year.

She heads to Melbourne Park in irresistible form, a quarter-final loss to Venus Williams in Auckland preceding her Hobart run.

Muguruza didn't know she would face Estonian 24th seed Kaia Kanepi in the first round of the Open, and didn't want to be told, but said she would be confident.

"I played eight matches here and I'm in a good feeling," she said.

"It's better to go with eight matches than with one."

Muguruza moved with her family to Spain once it was clear she was tennis prodigy at age six.

But she hasn't adopted all of the country's obsessions.

"I'm like, don't talk to me about soccer," she said.

"Messi, Messi, blah."

Muguruza joins Germany Mona Barthel, who won Hobart in 2012, as the only qualifiers to win the tournament.


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Source: AAP


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