Alexa Milliam used her grit and smarts to outduel Tennielle Madis, 6-3, 6-3, and crown herself the first Rina Cañiza Women's Tennis Open champion at the PCA outdoor courts in Paco, Manila yesterday.

Bracing for a tough challenge against an unranked rival who barreled her way to the final with a couple of big wins in the lower half of the 64-player draw, the top seeded Milliam pulled through in a break-break game in the opening set by holding serve thrice then survived a back-and-forth battle of breaks in the next to clinch the victory.