World No. 1 and local favorite Caroline Wozniacki thrilled a rowdy crowd to win the Danish Open on Sunday for the second consecutive year.
Opting to stay at home and play on hardcourts rather than get the grass under her feet ready for Wimbledon, she easily beat fourth-seed Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-4.
Safarova, the world No. 38, had been a slow starter all week, coming back from a set down in each of her matches en route to the final and the left-hander was immediately broken by Wozniacki in her first service game.
Photo: AFP
Despite some hefty ground-strokes Safarova proved far too erratic to worry the ever-solid Wozniacki as the first set whizzed by.
Wozniacki broke ominously at the start of the second set, but a couple of tight line calls against her and a double fault allowed Safarova to break back.
With the Danish crowd clapping her on at every important point, Wozniacki immediately broke again to lead 3-2 and regain the upper hand, with her trademark two-handed backhand proving a potent weapon.
Wozniacki held her nerve as the remaining games went with serve, eventually sealing her fifth title of the year when Safarova made two more unforced errors.
The 20-year-old, who did not drop a set all week, will now head to Wimbledon for some much-needed practice on grass, hoping to improve on last year’s showing when she was beaten 6-2, 6-0 in the fourth round by Petra Kvitova.
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