By Adrianna Outlaw | Friday, May 5, 2017
Kristyna Pliskova pounded 17 aces sweeping Jelena Ostapenko to power into the final of her hometown tournament in Prague.
Photo credit: TK Sparta Praha / Pavel Lebeda (sport-pics.cz)
The prospect of a Pliskova powering into the Prague final seemed a definite possibility when the week began.
The reality of Kristyna Pliskova achieving it is a little more surprising.
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The week began with six Czech women in the 32-player singles draw—including top-seeded, 2015 champion Karolina Pliskova—but by the time the red clay settled today 58th-ranked Kristyna Pliskova, Karolina's twin sister, was through to the final.
The left-handed Pliskova pounded 17 aces and won 88 percent of her first-serve points defeating Jelena Ostapenko, 6-4, 6-2, to reach her first final since she won Tashkent last fall.
It was Ostapenko’s second match of the day.
Earlier, the 50th-ranked Latvian rallied past Ana Konjuh, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The 25-year-old Prague resident will play German qualifier Mona Barthel in tomorrow’s final.
Continuing her inspired run through the field, Barthel broke serve six times beating third-seeded Czech Barbora Strycova, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The flat-hitting German, who edged Camilia Giorgi in two tiebreak sets yesterday, advanced to her first final of the year.