New Zealander Leanne Baker scored one from two in the finals of the Taupo Futures, winning the singles title in straight sets over Japan's Natsumi Hamamura but losing the doubles title with Francesca Lubiani.
Baker, 25, took just 64 minutes to defeat Hamamura, the sixth seed, 6-1, 6-2.
Before thefinal Baker, who was the fourth seed for the US$10,000 ($14,500) tournament with a ranking of 433, was concerned about her 484th ranked opponent.
"I was worried about her and the way she had been playing.
"I stuck to my game plan and just stayed solid. I served well and kept focused," said Baker, who showed with the win that she is underrated in New Zealand.
The game started fortuitously for Baker, who double-faulted on the first point of the match but managed to stay calm to win the game and then break her opponent's serve in the next game, in which Hamamura served three double faults.
"The double fault was not a good start," said Baker, "but in the end everything just went right. It's a good start to the year. It's pretty good to get some money behind me so I can go to the tournaments in Australia."
She plays the US$10,000 ASB International starting tomorrow in Wellington, where she is the defending champion.
In the doubles final Baker and Lubiani, the tournament's top seeds, lost to second seeded Americans Lauren Barnikow and Christina Fusano 6-4, 6-4.
