CANBERRA, Australia, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Anna Smashnova won her second straight tournament, battling her way past top seed Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), in the final of the Canberra Women's Classic on Saturday (Friday night in the United States).
It was the fourth career title for Smashnova, an Israel native ranked 69th in the world. She is unseeded in the Australian Open, first Grand Slam of the year, and faces Katarina Srebotnik of Slovakia in the first round.
Last week, Smashnova upended Anna Kournikova in the semifinals and Tatiana Panova in the final of the ASB Bank Classic at New Zealand.
There are two days until the start of the Australian Open, and Smashnova could use the rest.
"In the second set, I was starting to get some cramps so I was glad that it didn't go to three," she said. "I had to do a lot of running today, but every point, I wanted to win."
Tanasugarn was denied her first career WTA title. She is the 25th seed in the Australian Open and will face Selima Sfar of Tunisia in the first round. She could meet Smashnova again in the third round.
Smashnova beat Australian qualifier Amanda Grahame, 7-5, 6-2 in the semifinals. Tanasugarn defeated unseeded Lilia Osterloh of the United States, 6-4, 6-4, to reach her third career final.
