Surfing-Australia's Fitzgibbons bags first WSL title of the season

(Reuters) - Australia's Sally Fitzgibbons won her first World Surf League (WSL) title of the season at Rottnest Island on Tuesday after beating Johanne Defay of France in the final.

The 30-year-old Fitzgibbons, who is set to compete in this year's Tokyo Olympics, where surfing will feature for the fist time, also rose to second in the world rankings after beating compatriot Tyler Wright in the semi-final in Western Australia.

"I'm just exhausted. I gave it everything," Fitzgibbons, whose last WSL win came in June 2019, said.

"That's what surfing is all about, just playing the game and enjoying whatever happens in the heat. It feels so good to be back in that winner's circle.

"I've set those goals (of finishing in the top five) all year and I'm quietly going about them in my own manner. I just believe it's possible if I do everything in my power, some days like this everything just aligns."

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)