TOKYO: Former world number one Karolina Pliskova utilised her big serve to full effect to ease to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over home favourite and newly-crowned US Open champion Naomi Osaka in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday.

Playing in her first tournament since upsetting Serena Williams to win the US Open on September 8, third-seeded Osaka hadn’t dropped a set previous to the final but was frustrated from the outset as her Czech opponent broke serve once in each set to triumph in 63 minutes.

Prior to the final, Pliskova had spent 419 minutes on court, more than any other player and almost twice as long as Osaka, but the Japanese player soon wilted and was unable to match the brilliance that secured her a first Grand Slam title.

Pliskova, meanwhile, was more than happy to take advantage of Osaka’s sloppiness, converting both her break point opportunities and reeling off the last 11 points to secure a second WTA title of the campaign.

“I’m just happy it didn’t go to three sets,” said the Czech, who had been taken the distance in her previous three matches.

“My serve is my biggest weapon and it was key today,” added Pliskova after scooping an 11th career title. “Naomi was maybe a little bit tired, you could see that. But the future is bright for her and congrats to her for an incredible few weeks.”

Osaka’s defeat was her second in the tournament final, having also been runner-up in 2016, as the 20-year-old seemed to finally succumb to the after-effects of her emotional U.S. Open triumph earlier this month.

“I have literally never been so tired in my entire life,” she told reporters. “I haven’t really had much time to rest, so I feel tired right now.”

When asked to explain her lacklustre performance, Osaka replied: “If I know I would have fixed it. As I am feeling very tired today, maybe I wasn’t doing the little things well.”

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018