Francesca Schiavone has always been one of the most popular players among Bali tennis fans, and now she could be returning in November to compete in the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions after winning the Barcelona Ladies Open.

Proving that age is no barrier to success, the feisty Italian - who will turn 30 in June - claimed the third title of her career with a convincing 6-1 6-1 victory over defending champion Roberta Vinci, adding to the titles she had already earned at Bad Gastein in 2007 and Moscow in 2009. The overwhelming victory came as revenge for Vinci’s win over her at the semi-final stage a year ago.

Schiavone didn’t drop a set in the entire week, and her victory continued a fine season that had already seen her reach the semi-finals in Auckland and the fourth round of the Australian Open where her run was eventually ended by Venus Williams.

"I felt good today," said the delighted Schiavone. "I played at a very high level and I was having fun playing. Roberta had some problems with her ankle so it wasn't easy for her. It just wasn't her day. For me, this is good preparation for Fed Cup and upcoming tournaments on clay, like Stuttgart and Rome."

The International Series now takes a short break as players move on to compete in the Fed Cup, but competition to stake a claim for one of the prestigeous places up for grabs at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions will resume in Fes, Morocco from 26th April. Only the top eight-ranked players to have won a singles title on the International Series and who are not playing at the WTA Championships in Doha will be eligible to compete in the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, which takes place at the Bali International Convention Centre, The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua from 4th to 7th November.