Wozniacki completes hat-trick
TOKYO — Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki romped to a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Sunday to win her third Pan Pacific Open.
The Danish former world No 1 needed only 75 minutes to complete the rout under the Tokyo sunshine, capturing her first title of the year after losing in six finals.
Third seed Wozniacki stormed through the first set in just 22 minutes, blazing winners past a stunned Pavlyuchenkova, who was firing blanks up to that point.
The Russian saved a match point in the 10th game of the second set before Wozniacki converted on her third opportunity, hammering a backhand pass down the line to claim the 26th WTA singles title of her career.
“It was my seventh final this year and obviously after a while it gets harder and harder,” said Wozniacki after winning her first tournament since Hong Kong last October.
“Obviously I’ve won here in the past and it has great memories for me, so I’m happy I was able to stay focused and aggressive.
“Everything was going my way in the first set. The second set was tricky, but I managed to stay positive and it feels great to win the title again. It was awesome.”
Wozniacki, who finished as year-end world No 1 in 2010 and 2011 but has since slipped back to sixth in the rankings, turned her focus to winning a first Grand Slam title next season.
“Hopefully if I stay healthy I can put myself in position,” said the two-time US Open finalist.
“When you go on a roll and play great tennis, you’re going to give yourself opportunitites.”
Wozniacki, also a Tokyo winner in 2010 and a runnerup in 2014, joined former greats Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini with three Pan Pacific Open crowns.
Martina Hingis holds the record with five championships.
Wozniacki, who destroyed world No 1 Garbine Muguruza 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals, never gave Pavlyuchenkova a chance in their first meeting since 2012.
“The first three games were the key,” said Pavlyuchenkova, who beat former world No 1 Angelique Kerber in the other semifinal.