Azarenka wins sixth title of season

World No 1 Victoria Azarenka on Sunday claimed her sixth title this season when she beat German Julia Goerges in straight sets at the Linz WTA tournament.

The Belarusian, in her ninth final appearance of 2012, overcame the fifth seed 6-3, 6-4 for a 14th career title.

In her first appearance at the tournament, the top seed had lost just 11 games in her first four matches and looked on course for another routine victory as she stormed into a 6-3, 5-0 lead against fifth-seeded Goerges.

Azarenka's 2012 trophy haul began with her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, with follow-up victories in Doha and Indian Wells.

But the 23-year-old then proceeded to lose the three following finals - including a defeat by Serena Williams at last month's US Open - before her 6-3, 6-1 defeat of world No 2 Maria Sharapova in Beijing.

Azarenka, whose win-loss record is now 13-0 since the US Open, and 26-0 in sets, will have a week off before the WTA Championships in Istanbul.

"I just want to rest a bit - it has been a long trip for me," she said.

"I'm happy I have this week to recover, regroup and refocus to go for that last push."

Goerges was playing the fifth WTA final of her career and is now 2-3 in those.

The German took the court again later on Sunday in the doubles final, where she partnered Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, but that did not go her way either, with Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke winning 6-3, 6-4.

Agence France-Presse