Suarez Navarro claims Portugal title

Oeiras, Portugal: Spain`s Carla Suarez Navarro claimed her first WTA title on Saturday when she beat Russia`s Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 3-6 6-4 at the Portugal Open.

She had lost her previous five WTA finals and stuttered from 4-1 up in the decider against the twice grand slam champion before edging home in two hours 10 minutes. In the men`s event Tomas Berdych can clinch a first claycourt title for five years on Sunday after reaching the final with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Romania`s Victor Hanescu. The Czech world number six was untroubled by Hanescu, powering into a final against Argentina`s Carlos Berlocq. Berdych, regarded as a hardcourt specialist, last won a tournament on clay in Munich in 2009. Berlocq beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain 7-6(6) 6-2. Suarez Navarro said she was delighted to continue an impressive season with some big tournaments ahead. "I`m very happy I could finally win my first WTA title," she told the WTA website (www.wtatennis.com) "I was a little bit nervous today. It was a difficult match too - it was windy today and we were both making mistakes. "Now there`s Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros, which to me is the best tournament of the year, but it`s still far - most important right now is the next tournament in Madrid."