Wozniacki ends title wait with Tokyo victory
Vinci downs Olympic gold medallist Puig in Wuhan Open first round
Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki overpowered Japan’s Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to capture the Pan Pacific Open yesterday, her first tournament victory since February 2015.
The Dane, who has battled back from a wretched run of injuries this year, weathered an early storm from her teenage opponent before running out a comfortable winner, claiming a second Tokyo title and the 24th of her career. “I’m very proud to win the tournament,” Wozniacki told reporters.
“Somebody just told me I’ve won a tournament every year since 2008. That’s a nice little streak and hopefully I can keep it going and keep moving forward.”
Meanwhile, Roberta Vinci downed Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig in the first round of the Wuhan Open yesterday.
Italy’s Vinci took just one hour and 20 minutes to defeat the Puerto Rican in two sets, 6-3, 6-3. Last year’s US Open finalist Vinci — who was responsible for halting Serena Williams’ bid for a rare calendar-year Grand Slam — served eight aces en route to the second round of the $2.6 million hard court event.
Puig had a fairy-tale run at the Rio Olympics clinching her island nation its first ever gold medal — and taking her to a career-high ranking of 33.
Kerber warning
Newly minted world No. 1 Angelique Kerber warned yesterday that Serena Williams will come back strong after the German stripped her of her long-held position atop the rankings.
“I am sure that she [Williams] will [be] coming back strong,” Kerber said in Wuhan, China.
Williams was gunning for her 23rd Grand Slam title at the US Open — that would have taken her past the record she shares with Steffi Graf — when she was cut down by 11th-ranked Karolina Pliskova in the semis.
The Czech’s victory ensured that Kerber, who had been snapping at Williams’ heels for weeks, would rise to number one.
Wozniacki, the Pan Pacific champion six years ago, survived a health scare after dropping serve to go down 4-3 in the first set. After feeling a twinge in her Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7-5, 6-3
Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) bt Monica Niculescu (ROMx5) 6-0, 2-6, 6-0
Kirsten Flipkens (BELx2), Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Akiko Omae (JPN), Peangtarn Plipuech (THA) 6-2, 6-3.
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1); Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) bt Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-0, 6-3; Roberta Vinci (ITA x13) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-3, 6-3; Katerina Siniakova (CZE) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3, 7-5; Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 7-5, 6-3; Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 6-4; Irina Begu (ROM) bt Elizaveta Kulichkova (RUS) 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2; Louisa Chirico (USA) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUI x12) 6-3, 4-3 (ret); Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x9) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-3, 3-4 (ret); Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt Sabine Lisicki (GER) 6-1, 6-2 left thigh, she left the court for treatment and returned with her leg heavily bandaged.
But it appeared to have little adverse effect as Wozniacki took complete control.
The Dane is set to climb to 22 or 23 in the new rankings when they are released on Monday.