Kleybanova wins first WTA title

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Alisa Kleybanova, appearing in her first WTA final, upset No. 1-seeded Elena Dementieva in straight sets Sunday and won the $220,000 Malaysian Open.

Kleybanova used four service breaks in defeating Dementieva 6-3, 6-2 and winning $37,000 in the all-Russian final. Dementieva, the No. 7-ranked player in the world, was shooting for her third title of 2010 but settled for the runner-up prize of $19,000.

Sunday's final was tied at 1-1 in the first set when play was halted because of a rainstorm and Kleybanova took the next three games when play resumed. Dementieva hadn't lost as many as four games in any set in the tournament before that.

Dementieva got back to 4-3 only to drop serve again and put Kleybanova in position to serve out for the set.

Kleybanova faced one break point in the second set, saving it and the second game and then taking control to finish off her first WTA championship.