Emerging star Zheng Qinwen began her 2021 season in the winning style that she finished 2020 – claiming the title at W25 Hamburg with victory over Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.

The 18-year-old Chinese player, playing her first event since winning on Italian soil at W25 Selva Gardena in mid-December, has won her first five titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour in just six months.

Three of her five titles have come as a qualifier – at W25 events in Frydek Mistek, Selva Gardena and now Hamburg. She also won at W25 Marbella and W15 Cordenons, the scene of her first professional triumph.

Zheng proved particularly dominant on clay last year, winning 90% of her matches and compiling a 26-3 win-loss record on the dirt in 2020, but her last two titles have come on her favoured hard courts.

She overcame 15-year-old Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-3 in the Hamburg final, but had plenty of positive words for her young opponent.

“I had a lot of tough matches during the tournament and I am very happy to have won all of them,” she said. “Linda demanded everything from me today. She is a very talented player and I am sure she will have a great career.”

Fruhvirtova, who was contesting her 11th professional tournament, finished as a runner-up at an ITF World Tennis Tour event for the second time having also reached the final at W15 Monastir last month, where she ultimately fell to to Yuliya Hatouka.

Another notable performance in Hamburg was that of 17-year-old German Noma Noha Akugue, who reached the semi-finals in her fourth professional event.

Meanwhile, a week after winning her first professional singles title at W15 Cairo, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro made it two in a row at the same venue.

The 18-year-old Spaniard produced an emphatic display in the final, beating American Anastasia Nefedova 6-0 6-0 in 62 minutes.

Elsewhere, Turkey’s Berfu Cengiz won her fourth ITF title – and first since 2018 – on home soil at W15 Antalya. The 21-year-old defeated compatriot Ipek Oz 3-6 6-2 6-4 in the title match.