ISTANBUL

Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez beat American Ann Li to win her first WTA title in Merida on Monday.

"It was one of my biggest dreams. I've been working for this day for 15 years," Sonmez said after the victory at the Merida Open Akron in Mexico.

Sonmez listed her maiden trophy by defeating Ann Li 6-2 and 6-1 in one hour and 10 minutes on the Yucatan Country Club court.

The 22-year-old became the first Turkish player in more than eight years to win a WTA singles title.

Cagla Buyukakcay was the first Turkish WTA (the Women's Tennis Association) singles champion when she clinched the Istanbul title on home soil in 2016.