By Chris Oddo | Sunday June 12, 2016
Karolina Pliskova captured her first title on grass, and fifth of her career, on Sunday in Nottingham.
Photo Source:LTA
Karolina Pliskova delivered in the clutch time and time again on Sunday. The result? A hard-fought title at the Aegon Open in Nottingham for the first grass title of her career.
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Pliskova’s 7-6(8), 7-5 victory over Alison Riske marks the Czech's fifth career title and first of 2016. Despite finishing it in straight sets, Pliskova was pushed all the way by the hard-nosed American.
The 24-year-old world No. 17 saved six set points in the opener and another set point with Riske serving in the second set to claim the trophy, behind 14 aces and 9 of 12 break points saved.
“It was not an easy match, she also deserved to win and it was down to a few points,” Pliskova said. “I am really happy that I made it and closed it out in two sets.”
The Czech entered the tournament with an 8-8 career record on grass, but had managed a runner-up performance at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham last year. Pliskova finished her Nottingham run with 68 aces and now has a tour-leading 268 for the season in 30 matches.
She hit several clutch serves to save three break points while serving at 4-5 in the first set, but needed more heroics when she fell behind 6-4 in the tiebreaker.
Riske played a fantastic match from start to finish, but she’ll likely rue her fourth and fifth set points, which were squandered in a tense first-set breaker. She missed a makeable return long to allow Pliskova to get to 6-5, then netted another routine backhand that evened the score at 6-all.
After earning a sixth set point, Pliskova levelled at 7-all by backing up a giant first serve town the T with a flat inside-out forehand that Riske could not make a play on.
The Czech failed to convert her first set point at 8-7, but won the final two points to take the tiebreaker.
Pliskova came from a break down to level at 4-all in set two, but after breaking back immediately Riske again had her opportunities while serving for the set at 5-4. But Pliskova stood tall in a long rally and finally broke down Riske’s defense.
She would go on to secure the break and grab the final two games to seal the title.
“She played some good shots and in the end I was just happy that I made it,” Pliskova said after the match.
“It was a brutal match and congratulations to Karolina,” Riske said after the match. “She played so well! I felt like I gave myself a lot of opportunities. I had a lot of different chances and whether it be that she served an ace or she played a really good point, the opportunities were gone.
“I gave myself as many chances as I could and credit to her for really stepping it up.”