Argentina's Paola Suarez controversially won the Canberra Women's Classic beating third seed Silvia Farina Elia 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7/5) in a thrilling final.

The second seed claimed her fourth WTA Tour title after surviving five match points against the Italian.

After over two-and-a-half hours Suarez finally won the tournament on umpire John Blom's overrule in a tense tie-break.

Suarez said: "I'm very happy to win, it was very close and a great final.

"I think I am lucky, we both had chances but today it went my way."

On the final point, Suarez added: "It was really close but I saw it was out."

Farina Elia lost the opening three games of the first set but battled back to take the next six games to take the set.

Suarez started strongly in the second set and opened up a 5-1 lead but Farina Elia hit back again to make the score 5-4 but the Argentinian levelled the match by holding her serve to set up a thrilling final set.

Farina Elia broke first in the last set and was leading 5-2 when Suarez began her comeback.

The Argentinian saved one match-point at 5-3 and four more in the 12th game.

But Suarez took control of the tie-break and secured victory on her third match point when the umpire overruled a linesman's call.