Dominika Cibulkova seals first title since 2014

Dominika Cibulkova won her first title since 2014 after defeating Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-4 6-0 in the Katowice WTA final in Poland.

The 2014 Australian Open runner-up raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set before three-time finalist Giorgi rallied to break back at 5-2 down.

But Cibulkova held her nerve to seal the first set and then dominated the second set, winning the last seven games of the match against her fifth-seeded opponent on her way to victory.

The Slovakian saw her ranking fall from 62 to 10 last year when she missed five months of the season to have Achilles surgery.

But the win - her fifth career title - will put her back into the top 40 and in with a chance of being seeded for the French Open which starts next month.

Cibulkova said: "I would like to thank the city of Katowice for making such a friendly event for us. Especially for me, it was very nice to drive three hours for a title.

"I was really surprised playing for the first time in Poland, it feels like home. I really appreciate it, so thank you."

She dedicated the win to her father Milan who was celebrating his birthday on Sunday.

"I think this is the best gift," said the 26-year-old whose last title came in Acapulco in 2014.

Cibulkova was in her second final of 2016 having narrowly missed out on the Abierto Mexicano Telcel title to American Sloane Stephens in February.