Goerges downs Wozniacki for Auckland title
World No 7 Ostapenko falls early at Sydney International
World No 14 Julia Goerges won her third successive tournament as she blasted her way to a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Caroline Wozniacki to seal the Auckland Classic title yesterday.
Goerges was rarely troubled by the world No 3 as she used a powerful service and blistering forehands that kept the Dane pinned deep and unable to extend rallies beyond a few shots.
The 29-year-old German, who has played at the Auckland tournament every year since her first visit in 2010, extended her winning streak to 14 matches, stretching back to last year when she won in Moscow and then the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai.
Bad weather throughout the week wreaked havoc with the schedule in New Zealand’s largest city and both had been required to play their quarter-finals and semi-finals on Saturday.
Opening exchange
Goerges stamped her intentions on the opening point when she smashed a forehand service return back at Wozniacki’s feet and broke to take a 1-0 lead that she never relinquished.
She sealed the first set after 35 minutes with her seventh ace and then broke Wozniacki again in the first game of the second set and continued to just overpower the Dane.
Wozniacki had an opportunity to get back on serve in the fourth game when she had a break point but Goerges simply pulled out another ace and consolidated her lead.
The Dane, however, was finally getting into the match and while she blew her second break point two games later she finally broke in the eighth to get back on serve and then took a 5-4 lead. That was the only chance she had, however, as Goerges forced a tiebreak and then raced through it to seal the title after 91 minutes with another forehand winner.
In Sydney, Ekaterina Makarova kept cool in the fierce Australian heat to upset the French Open champion and world No 7 Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(3), 6-1 in the opening round of the Sydney International.
With temperatures in western Sydney well above the 40 degrees Celsius mark, some withdrawals might have been expected and local Ellen Perez progressed when France’s Kristina Mladenovic retired at 6-4 4-2 down.
Seventh seed Goerges withdrew from the tournament citing a knee injury having won the Auckland Classic earlier.