Germany’s Julia Gorges won her third straight title as she beat former world number one Caroline Wozniacki at the ASB Classic in Auckland.

The 29-year-old sent down 41 winners in a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory.

After her win, the world number 14 pulled out of this week’s Sydney International with a knee injury.

Wozniacki is set to rise to number two in the world in Monday’s rankings and could yet regain top spot at the Australian Open this month.

The 27-year-old Dane last held top spot six years ago and the current record for the longest gap between being ranked number one is held by Serena Williams, who spent five years and 29 days off the top spot between 10 August 2003 and 8 September 2008.

Gorges, who was runner-up in Auckland to US Open champion Sloane Stephens in 2016, had been victorious at last October’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow and the WTA Elite Trophy the following month in Zhuhai,

She won the first set against Wozniacki with her seventh ace, having broken serve in the first game.

She broke again in the first game of the second set, before the world number three fought back to force a tie-break, but another Goerges forehand winner sealed the victory.

• Konta set for Sydney title defence

Elsewhere on the tour, British number two Heather Watson came through an early scare in her second qualifying match to reach the main draw at the Hobart International.

Despite dropping the first set, she fought back to beat Japan’s Nao Hibino 4-6 7-5 6-3, and will face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the first round of a tournament she won in 2015.