By Chris Oddo | Saturday February 18, 2017
Karolina Pliskova overcame incessant rain all week and a few longtime nemeses this weekend to claim her 8th career total at the Qatar Total Open in Doha.
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Pliskova improved to 15-1 on the season by defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the final, 6-3, 6-4. It was the 24-year-old Czech’s first win against Wozniacki in four tries; on Friday she defeated No.3-seeded Dominika Cibulkova for her first win against the Slovak in four tries and her fifth career Top 5 win.
With confidence blooming, Pliskova is emerging as one of the WTA’s premier power players. On Saturday she broke Wozniacki four times and saved one of two break points to claim victory in 79 minutes.
“I think I’m having a great start to the year, which is always important,” said Pliskova. “To beat two players like Dominika and Caroline is something amazing.”
Pliskova served a career-best 21 aces during her semifinal victory over Cibulkova, but only needed four today against Wozniacki. She won 27 of 35 first serve points, and 8 of 16 second-serve points.
Pliskova stormed at the open, racing out to a 4-0 lead before Wozniacki bounced back by winning three straight games. But it would be Pliskova winning the final two games, breaking to claim the first set, 6-3.
In the second set the pair battled in lockstep until Pliskova broke in the tenth game when a Wozniacki backhand sank into the net.
The Czech has now claimed two titles on the season. She improves to 8-10 in WTA finals, while Wozniacki drops to 25-18.