WTA roundup: Pliskova snaps Osaka streak for title

[September 24, 2018]  Fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova handed U.S. Open champ Naomi Osaka a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to claim the title at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

It ended the third-seeded Osaka's 10-match victory streak, dating back to the start of the U.S. Open.

The title is the 11th of Pliskova's career and her fifth straight triumph in a final.

"First of all, my serve was very good today -- I was able to hold all my service games, so that was the key," said Pliskova, who needed just 63 minutes to dispatch Osaka.

Osaka, 20, was searching for her third career title -- both previous titles having come this season.

Osaka and Pliskova had faced off twice before, each winning once.

KEB Hana Bank Korea Open

Second-seeded Kiki Bertens picked up her third title of 2018, outlasting Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6 (2), 5-6, 6-2 in the final at Seoul, South Korea.

The 26-year-old Bertens, the first Dutch player to reach a final in Seoul, earned her seventh career title with the victory.

"I knew I had to play good to win today," said Bertens. "She's a great fighter and she showed that this week. I knew I had to play aggressive and make her move around the court, to play with all the energy I had in me and to be positive all the time -- that was the goal."

Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic kisses her victory trophy after defeating Naomi Osaka of Japan. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

The unseeded Tomljanovic, 25, is still looking for her first career title. She's 0-3 in finals for her career.

Bertens beat Tomljanovic in three sets at the 2017 French Open in their only other meeting.

Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open

Estonia's Anett Kontaveit upset ninth-seeded American Sloane Stephens 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the first round at Wuhan, China.

Belgium's Elise Mertens, the 15th seed, also was knocked out, falling to Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).

Other first-round winners included 11th-seeded Julia Goerges of Germany and 13th-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia.

--Field Level Media

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