Rybarikova Wins 1st Career Title on Grass at WTA Birmingham

Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova won her first career title on Sunday at the AEGON Classic in Birmingham, beating China's Li Na 6-0, 7-6(2).

"It's the best feeling in my career. It's unbelievable. It's like a dream," Rybarikova said. "I've always liked grass. I have a good serve, forehand and volley -- I think it's my best surface, for sure. I won the first set easily today but I knew the second set would be tougher. I was very nervous in the tiebreak."

Li had ousted former Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova in the semifinals.

"I was missing a lot today. It was much different than my match yesterday," Li said. "Yesterday was such a big win for me. I was still thinking about that and not thinking enough about today. She played really well though."

Sharapova has now reached the semifinals or better in all six of her appearances in Birmingham, still struggling through a slow return from shoulder surgery.

Top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber won their fourth doubles title of the season in the final, beating No. 4 seeds Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears of the U.S. 6-1, 6-4.