<p>Top seed Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third WTA title of the year after beating her good friend and long-time doubles partner Elise Mertens of Belgium 7-5 6-2 in the final of the season-ending Linz Open in Austria on Sunday.</p>.<p>The hard-hitting Belarusian baseliner, who has also won titles in Ostrava and Qatar this year, broke Mertens early in the first set before the Belgian fought back to level terms.</p>.<p>Mertens broke Sabalenka's serve again to open up a 5-4 lead and was poised to serve for the set before the top seed forced her way back into the contest behind a flurry of powerful groundstrokes, winning the next three games to take the opener.</p>.<p>Sabalenka carried that momentum into the second set, easing to a 3-0 lead and saving three break points to stave off Mertens' final challenge.</p>.<p>The Belarusian clinched her eighth career title with an imperious backhand winner, ensuring that she will end the year ranked in the world's top 10 for the first time.</p>
<p>Top seed Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third WTA title of the year after beating her good friend and long-time doubles partner Elise Mertens of Belgium 7-5 6-2 in the final of the season-ending Linz Open in Austria on Sunday.</p>.<p>The hard-hitting Belarusian baseliner, who has also won titles in Ostrava and Qatar this year, broke Mertens early in the first set before the Belgian fought back to level terms.</p>.<p>Mertens broke Sabalenka's serve again to open up a 5-4 lead and was poised to serve for the set before the top seed forced her way back into the contest behind a flurry of powerful groundstrokes, winning the next three games to take the opener.</p>.<p>Sabalenka carried that momentum into the second set, easing to a 3-0 lead and saving three break points to stave off Mertens' final challenge.</p>.<p>The Belarusian clinched her eighth career title with an imperious backhand winner, ensuring that she will end the year ranked in the world's top 10 for the first time.</p>