Forest Hills, NY (My Sportsbook) - Top-seeded Russian Elena Likhovtseva was an easy winner over fourth-seeded Iveta Benesova on Saturday to win the title at the inaugural $65,882 Forest Hills Women's Tennis Classic -- a final U.S. Open tune-up.

Likhovtseva, who won only two matches all week, defeated the Czech Benesova 6-2, 6-2 at The West Side Tennis Club to claim her third career WTA Tour singles crown and the first since 1997. She pocketed $16,000 for the triumph.

The 28-year-old Likhovtseva received an opening-round bye and advanced to the semifinals via walkover when her scheduled opponent, France's Marion Bartoli, pulled out due to injury on Thursday at this small 15-player event.

The surging Likhovtseva, who was the runner-up to French star Amelie Mauresmo in Montreal just three weeks ago, also won a title way back in 1993.

Benesova, who fell to Likhovtseva in their first-ever meeting, was looking for her second career title. The 21-year-old Benesova, who was a winner earlier in this year in Acapulco, fell to 1-2 this season in title matches.

Likhovtseva, seeded 25th at the U.S. Open, will begin the last Grand Slam with a first-round match against Russian Maria Kirilenko. The unseeded Benesova will play American Bethanie Mattek in the first round of the U.S. Open.