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By Adrianna Outlaw | Sunday, October 22, 2017

 
Karolina Pliskova

Karolina Pliskova pounded 25 winners and broke serve five times breezing by Venus Williams, 6-2, 6-2, in her WTA Finals opener. 

Photo credit: WTA Finals Singapore Facebook

Karolina Pliskova rode a superb serve and stinging return to a resounding win in her WTA Finals opener.

Pliskova pounded 25 winners powering past Venus Williams, 6-2, 6-2, at the WTA Finals in Singapore.

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The third-seeded Czech won 76 percent of the points played on Williams’ second serve and converted five of 12 break points powering to a 72-minute victory in the White Group of the round-robin tournament.




"I think my serve was pretty good today, but could be better,” Pliskova told Andrew Krasny in her on-court interview afterward. “Some aces I hit, that's why I won. I think the score looks a little bit easier than it was. I think it was very tough from the baseline. We were both playing very fast and pretty good shots.”

In this third career clash between the pair, Pliskova set the tone early serving wide to Williams’ forehand on the deuce side and banging body serves to keep the seven-time Grand Slam champion off-balance.

Williams paid a price for her sometime shallow second serves as Pliskova broke in the American’s opening service game.




The fifth-seeded Williams broke back, but Pliskova continued to ruthlessly attack the veteran’s second serve.

Williams committed her third double fault to face set point then netted a backhand as Pliskova collected a one-set lead after 32 minutes.




Fighting off a pair of break points, Pliskova pumped an ace to hold in the third game of the second set. Trying to change direction with her backhand, Williams found the net as Pliskova broke for 3-1.

Williams fought off three match points. When Williams missed a backhand on the fourth match point, Pliskova wrapped a commanding victory in 72 minutes.




"There are no easy matches here in Singapore, so you have to be ready from the first point,” Pliskova said. “That's what I was trying to do, and it worked."

 

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