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Wozniacki sets sights on maiden Slam title
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Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki romped to a 6-0, 7-5 win over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova yesterday to win her third Pan Pacific Open title.
The 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, fizzing 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 taking the title in China’s Hong Kong in October last year.
“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,” the Dane added. “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 opportunities.”
Wozniacki, also Tokyo winner in 2010 and runner-up in 2014, joined former greats Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini with three Pan Pacific Open crowns.
Martina Hingis holds the record with five.
In Seoul, South Korea, top seed Jelena Ostapenko clinched victory at the Korea Open yesterday, defeating Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in a closely contested three-set final.
The 20-year-old French Open champion from Latvia rallied from a set down to beat the debutante finalist 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4, in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
“I’m really happy to win my second title here and in my career,” Ostapenko said after the match. “I enjoyed playing here and to also see so many Latvian flags is amazing.”
Yesterday’s win was Ostapenko’s first hardcourt title since her upset victory over third seed Simona Halep at the French Open in June.
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