Top seed Jelena Jankovic claimed her second career WTA title with a marathon three-set victory against Vera Zvonareva in the final of the ASB Classic on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Serbian needed two hours and 44 minutes before finally ending the challenge of her Russian opponent with a 7-6 5-7 6-3 win.

Jankovic's semi-final against Camille Pin lasted for only 15 minutes before the Frenchwoman withdrew with a sore left abductor muscle, but the Serbian was on court for nearly two and a half hours longer in the final.

Having taken the opening set with an 11-9 win in the tie break, Jankovic was pegged back when Zvonareva took the second set 7-5.

Zvonareva surrendered an early break in the rubber but broke back in the seventh game only to lose her next service game, giving Jankovic a 5-3 advantage.

Jankovic served out the match, clinching her first title since May 2004, when she defeated Slovakia's Martina Sucha in Budapest.

It was Zvonareva's second consecutive final loss in Auckland following her 6-2 6-2 defeat to Marion Bartoli of France last year.