SARASOTA (Florida), April 8: Top-seeded Yugoslav Jelena Dokic captured her first WTA title of the season here Sunday with a straight-set victory over Tatiana Panova in the final of the 140,000-dollar Sarasota Open.

Dokic, 18, downed the Russian 6-2, 6-2, completing her run to the title without dropping a set. She was hurried on her way on Saturday, when France’s Virginie Razzano retired after losing the first set complaining of tendinitis in her elbow.

Dokic, who reached the final of the Paris Indoors in February, ended series of disappointing early exits — at Anvers, Indian Wells and Key Biscayne.

On the green clay at Sarasota, Dokic finally claimed the fourth title of her career, after breaking through last year with triumphs in Italy, Tokyo and Moscow.—AFP