Mauresmo takes Florida crown

Mauresmo's run is perfectly timed for the French Open

Bausch & Lomb Championships, Florida:
A Mauresmo (Fr) bt A Coetzer (SA) 6-4 7-5

France's Amelie Mauresmo stretched her winning streak to 15 matches, defeating South Africa's Amanda Coetzer on Sunday to capture her third consecutive WTA title.

Mauresmo, seeded sixth, is 20-1 this season - the best start by any WTA player.

Since losing to Venus Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open, 21-year-old Mauresmo has won titles at Paris and Nice in February.

Fourth seed Coetzer, 29, saw her eight-match clay court win streak snapped.

Mauresmo took the title in straight sets

Mauresmo opened with a service break and broke Coetzer at love in the fifth and seventh games on her way to a 5-2 first-set lead.

But Coetzer broke back when Mauresmo netted a backhand and saved two set points to hold and reach 5-4.

Mauresmo then held in five points, taking the first set when Coetzer netted a forehand service return.

In the second set, Mauresmo again opened by breaking Coetzer and both players held until Mauresmo was serving for the £393,000 title.

She hit her first two double faults of the match and Coetzer zipped a forehand winner down the line to level the set at 5-5.

Mauresmo rallied to reclaim the break on an overhead smash after a long rally and served out the final game at love, taking the final point when Coetzer sent a backhand long.

Mauresmo will rise to seventh from 15th in the WTA rankings to be released on Monday. Coetzer will improve one spot to ninth.