Bartoli limps out of Bali final with Rezai

* Bartoli retires with leg injury

* Rezai wins second career WTA title (adds Bartoli quotes)

By Barry Wood

BALI, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Aravane Rezai won the Tournament of Champions in Bali on Sunday when top seed Marion Bartoli retired with a quad injury after losing the first set 7-5.

The win gave Rezai the second title of her career following success at Strasbourg in May and lifted her into the world’s top 30 for the first time.

“It’s a big surprise to finish like that—I’m very sorry for her,” said Rezai, who earned $200,000 and broke the million dollar barrier in career earnings over the week.

“She looks like she hurt a lot and I hope it is not a big injury.”

Bartoli had broken her fellow Frenchwoman to lead 3-2 but failed to serve out the set at 5-4 and was unable to convert a break point on Rezai’s serve at 5-5.

Tenth seed Rezai held for 6-5 and then struck a backhand winner to end a long rally to earn two set points.

Bartoli then walked to the chair wincing in pain and after having her left thigh taped up she immediately double-faulted to lose the set before throwing in the towel.

“I started to feel my leg was pretty tight in the middle of the set,” said Bartoli. “I started to feel some pain all over my quads and I thought maybe it was the stress and no reason to be serious.

“I’m very sad to finish like this. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself in the last match of the season.”

Bartoli had been bidding for her third title of the year after winning at Monterrey and Stanford. (Editing by Alastair Himmer and Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)