Marina Erakovic captured her first career WTA title by besting a retiring Sabine Lisicki in Saturday's championship match of the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championship.
Erakovic dominated the third-seeded Lisicki, twice breaking the German slugger's serve and ripping off four aces in taking the opening set by a 6-1 score on the hardcourts at The Racquet Club of Memphis before her oft-injured opponent pulled out of the match while citing illness.
The 24-year-old Erakovic, a native Croat who competes for New Zealand, was a runner-up to Swede Sofia Arvidsson in last year's Memphis finale and was appearing in her third career title bout. She also placed second in Quebec City in 2011.
Erakovic earned $40,000 for her victory, with Lisicki collecting $20,000.
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