Monterrey Open: Muguruza defends title as Azarenka suffers injury

Muguruza displaying her dominance from the very onset of the match ensured that she kept her stronghold in WTA tournaments intact.

Monterrey: Spain's Garbine Muguruza successfully defended her Monterrey Open title as her opponent Victoria Azarenka withdrew herself from her first WTA singles final in three years.

Muguruza was leading the proceeding between the two former world number one 6-1, 3-1 when Azarenka received an injury to her right leg.

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"It's unfortunate I couldn't give my best today, but I tried my hardest," a tearful Azarenka, who is yet to win a title since 2016, said.

"I want to say thank you to my son Leo, who is not with me here. I would love him to be here to share this with me because it is special."Muguruza displaying her dominance from the very onset of the match ensured that she kept her stronghold in WTA tournaments intact.

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"It's a great feeling to come back and defend a title," Muguruza said in a courtside interview. "It's never easy."

Meanwhile, Azarenka received treatment on her leg during a medical time-out between sets, but she apparently failed to resume due to pain.

Azarenka last won against Muguruza in the round of 16 at the Miami Open in April 2016, when she went on to win the title in her most recent final before Sunday.