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Fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova beat Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win the Pan Pacific Open and deny the U.S. Open champion a win in her home country.
Osaka, who upset Serena Williams in the final in New York, hadn’t dropped a set previous to Sunday’s final and was frustrated from the outset by the big-serving Czech player.
Pliskova broke Osaka for a second time to go up 5-4 in the second set and then hammered her sixth ace to secure her 11th career title.
Pliskova needed three dramatic sets in each of her matches to reach her second final of the season.
“I was just happy it didn’t go to a third set,” Pliskova said. “Naomi was playing so good all tournament but I think she was a little bit tired today.”
Bertens knocks off Tomljanovic for WTA title in South Korea
Kiki Bertens won her third WTA Tour singles title of the season on Sunday and denied Ajla Tomljanovic her career first with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 win over the Croatian-born Australian.
The second-seeded Bertens, who won the final six games of the match, was a service break down twice in the first set, but fought back to level and then dominated the tiebreaker thanks to a strong first serve.
Bertens was behind 2-0 in the second set before coming back to take a 4-3 lead with a break, but Tomljanovic broke in the 10th game when Bertens netted a forehand, giving the Australian the second set.
Tomljanovic again took a 2-0 lead in the final set, hitting a blistering forehand to the back of the court on break point that Bertens could only watch streak past her. But the Dutch player again staged a comeback, not dropping another game.
Tom Lewis won the Portugal Masters for a second time after shooting a 5-under 66 in Sunday’s final round.
Lewis finished three strokes ahead of fellow Englishman Eddie Pepperell (67) and Australia’s Lucas Herbert (71).
Sergio Garcia prepared for the Ryder Cup next weekend with a 65 to finish seven strokes behind Lewis.
Lewis made six birdies along with a single bogey on No. 10 to finish the tournament at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on 22-under 262.
Herbert led through the first three rounds only to struggle on the final day. He hit a double bogey on the final hole to finish the round on par.
Lewis had trailed Herbert by nine shots after the first round.