By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, April 25, 2015
Angelique Kerber won the final four games fighting past Caroline Wozniacki, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, to score her 11th straight win in the Stuttgart final.
Photo credit: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Playing catch-up for the entire final set against a tireless opponent, Angelique Kerber was tired of the chase.
On her fourth championship point, Kerber cracked a forehand down the line, fell to her knees and thrust her arms in the air completing a rousing comeback against Caroline Wozniacki.
Down 3-5 in the decider, Kerber reeled off four games in a row, rallying for a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 triumph in a thrilling Stuttgart final. Kerber captured her fifth career title and her second of this month.
Semifinals: Wozniacki Defeats Halep To Reach Stuttgart Final
It was Kerber's 11th consecutive clay-court win, following her run to the Charleston title on Har Tru earlier this month. Kerber is the first German to reign in Stuttgart since Fed Cup teammate Julia Goerges defeated Wozniacki in the 2011 final.
A confident Kerber defeated three-time Stuttgart champion Maria Sharapova in a physical three-setter in the round of 16 and needed only 58 minutes to dismiss surprise semifinalist Madison Brengle in Saturday's semifinals. She figured to be fresher than Wozniacki, who waged a two hour, 58 minute battle with Simona Halep before finally subduing the French Open finalist, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in the semifinals.
In their lone prior clay-court meeting, Kerber crushed Wozniacki, 6-1, 6-2, in the 2012 Stuttgart round of 16. Contesting her first clay-court final since 2011, Wozniacki showcased her sharper serve thumping two aces in the opening game.
A primary challenge Kerber faced was defending her second serve, which feeds directly into Wozniacki's best weapon, her two-handed backhand. The 2011 Stuttgart finalist fired a backhand return winner down the line for a 0-03 lead in the fourth game. The 5-foot-10 Wozniacki has an expansive reach and used it to poke a one-handed backhand return right on the line, scoring the first break and a 3-1 lead.
Wozniacki slid into a fine forehand drop volley winner, holding for 4-1 after just 18 minutes of play. Regrouping after a visit from her coach, Torben Beltz, held at 30 for 2-4.
Both women are counter punchers at the core and both are skilled at redirecting pace. Wozniacki worked with former world No. 1 and clay-court guru Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario in preparing for this clay-court season and reaped the results this week. Wozniacki's forehand is her weaker wing, but she's hitting that shot with more variation now, rolling heavier, deeper topspin forehands to reset the point when she's pushed out of position and trying to use her hips and shoulders in driving her forehand crosscourt.
Sliding the wide serve effectively, Wozniacki drew an errant return for set point. When Kerber flattened a forehand into the net, Wozniacki grabbed the opening set in 32 minutes. She served 76 percent, hit four more winners (12 to 8) and did not face a break point in the set.
A recharged Kerber raced out to triple break point in the second game of the second set. A terrific running forehand coaxed an error as Kerber broke at 15 for a 2-0 second-set lead.
Adopting more aggressive court positioning, Kerber began taking the ball on the rise, striking with more confidence and changing direction at the right time.
Empowered, Kerber cracked successive aces sealing her second straight love hold for a 3-0 advantage. Kerber, who was playing with taping around her right thigh, had more bounce in her step and was swinging more freely during the three-game spurt. After Kerber held for 4-1, Wozniacki's father, Piotr was involved in an extended discussion with tournament supervisor Laura Ceccarelli. The distraction couldn't have helped his daughter, who dropped serve to fall behind 1-5.
The world No. 14 served out the 25-minute second set with confidence, raising a clenched fist to her support box as she strode to her court-side seat. Exuding more energy, Kerber played with more urgency hitting nine winners compared to two for the former No. 1 in the set.
After a Kerber bathroom break, both women dug in for the decider. The 27-year-old German fought off break points holding for 1-1 before Wozniacki navigated a deuce game for 2-1. Wozniacki broke first for 3-1, but Kerber, hitting her forehand with more conviction, broke back for 2-3.
Late in the final set, it became clear nerves and aggression would decide it. Wozniacki whipped a backhand return to set up a forehand winner, breaking for 5-3.
Two points from the title at 30-all, Wozniacki caught up to a drop shot but bungled a pushed reply down the line to face break point. When Wozniacki netted her usually rock-solid backhand, Kerber had the break for 4-5. The sturdy German consolidated for 5-5. Throughout the tournament, Wozniacki had played with more aggression, but she reverted to her defensive default posture down the stretch; credit Kerber for taking charge.
Two tight errors put Wozniacki in a 0-30 hole in the 11th game. Wrong-footing the Dane, Kerber cranked a bold two-hander down the line for break point. When Wozniacki sailed a forehand, Kerber had her first lead of the set at 6-5. She knew closure would not come easy against the woman who completed the 2014 New York City Marathon and was running well all day.
Serving for the title at 30-15, Kerber refused to miss, grinding out one of the longest rallies of the match with a big forehand for double championship point. Wozniacki saved the first with a backhand into the corner. Playing stubborn defense, Wozniacki won a 25-shot rally to deny the second. But she floated a forehand to hand Kerber a third championship point.
Twice fans yelled out during the point thinking Kerber had hit the winning shot, but Wozniacki withstood it. A netted backhand gave Kerber a fourth championship point, this time she planted her forehand down the line, tossed her racquet aside and dropped to her knees in exhilaration.