Sergey Bida of Russia won the FIE Épée Grand Prix in Doha ©Getty Images

Sergey Bida of Russia lived up to his billing as top seed by winning the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Épée Grand Prix in Qatari capital Doha.

Bida enjoyed a relatively comfortable journey to the title, his only close result coming in a 13-12 victory over Vitalii Medvediev of Ukraine in the round of 16. 

He then defeated Daniel Jerent of France 15-11 in the quarter-finals, before easing past Masaru Yamada of Japan 15-10 to reach the gold medal match. 

There Bida recorded a 15-6 win over Alexandre Bardenet of France to top the podium, continuing his run of good form which saw the 26-year-old claim a world silver medal last year. 

Romania's veteran fencer Ana Maria Popescu was the victor in the women's contest, also taking place at Aspire Dome. 

Ana Maria Popescu of Romania claimed the women's title at the FIE Épée Grand Prix in Doha ©Getty Images
Ana Maria Popescu of Romania claimed the women's title at the FIE Épée Grand Prix in Doha ©Getty Images

She first got past Jung Hyo-jung of South Korea 15-6, going on to narrowly beat Katharine Holmes of the United States 10-9. 

In the semi-final, the Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medallist came up against Tatyana Andryushina of Russia, overwhelming her 15-5. 

Popescu then dispatched of Italy's Maria Navarria 15-9 to achieve the gold medal. 

Women's top seed, Lin Sheng of China, had suffered a shock defeat in the last 64, losing 15-11 to Erika Kirpu of Estonia.