Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic used all her big-match experience yesterday as she came from a set down to overhaul Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko and win the Brisbane International.
The unseeded Tsurenko looked headed for the biggest win of her career when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, only for Pliskova to come storming back to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 and claim her second Brisbane title.
Pliskova, the tournament’s fifth seed, started slowly and paid the penalty against Tsurenko, who was serving superbly and winning the battle from the baseline.
Photo: AP
Tsurenko took the first set in 38 minutes, firing 10 winners and making 81 percent of her first serves.
She took that form into the second set and broke Pliskova early, but, serving for the match at 5-4, she tightened up and Pliskova won 13 of the next 14 points to level the match.
The third set was all Pliskova as she broke Tsurenko twice to wrap up the final in 2 hours, 12 minutes.
AUCKLAND CLASSIC
Reuters, WELLINGTON
Defending champion Julia Goerges rallied from the brink of defeat yesterday to end Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu’s fairytale run at the Auckland Classic.
The 30-year-old German clinched a 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory on her third championship point when her exhausted opponent netted a backhand after 1 hour, 45 minutes.
Qualifier Andreescu, ranked No. 152 in the world, had beaten former world No. 1’s Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki on her way to the final, but simply ran out of steam as Goerges battled back after falling a set behind.
“Bianca gave me a hard time today and I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot more about her,” the world No. 14 said after winning a seventh career title. “I used my experience today and really went for it in the important moments.”
Andreescu returned brilliantly to take the opener and led 5-4 in the second set, despite struggling with a lower back problem that forced her to take an injury timeout.
“My body is honestly a mess,” the 18-year-old said.
“At 5-4 in the second set, it was really hard for me to stay in the moment, I was like: ‘I’m one game away from winning the tournament,’ but Julia dominated at that point and started going for her shots,” she added.
QATAR OPEN
Reuters
Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut conquered a mid-match scare on Saturday to overcome Tomas Berdych 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the Qatar Open final on Saturday for his ninth career title.
A day after outclassing world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, Bautista Agut came through another three-setter for his first title in Doha.
The world No. 24 saved five out of six break points and converted two of his own in a tight final to see off Berdych in a little under 2 hours.
“It’s been a fantastic week for me,” said Bautista Agut, who endured some nervy moments in the decider. “Today it wasn’t easy to manage the emotions I had on court.”
The 30-year-old will look to carry the momentum forward to the Auckland Classic next week in his final warm-up event before the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on Monday next week.
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