Pliskova victorious in Brisbane and Siniakova claims maiden title
Saturday 7 January 2017 11:31, UK
American Lauren Davis won her first WTA title by defeating Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh 6-3 6-1 in the Auckland Classic final on Saturday.
The early exits of Serena and Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki meant the tournament had lost much of its fizz and the final was left to two players ranked 47th and 61st in the world.
The 23-year-old Davis, who lost two finals in 2016, dominated her erratic 19-year-old opponent from the outset with her consistency and powerful serve.
"The feeling is indescribable, it's definitely an incredible feeling to win my first WTA title at my favourite tournament," the Florida-based Davis said in an interview.
"I've been waiting for this moment for quite a few years. It's definitely surreal. I had two finals last year, and it was definitely discouraging and frustrating. But I guess third time's the charm."
Konjuh said the loss was tough to swallow but was happy to have reached a final so early in 2017.
"Of course I'm disappointed to lose in a final, but it's not a bad way to start the season," she said.
Konjuh was plagued by errors and struggled with her serve throughout the match. She was broken twice in the first set and three times in the second.
In Brisbane Karolina Pliskova put down a marker for the Australian Open with a superb 6-0 6-3 win over Alize Cornet in the final of the Brisbane International.
Pliskova will move up to No 5 in the world rankings on Monday as a result of her win, and the 6ft 1in Czech looks a real threat to the top seeds in Melbourne.
Her booming serve and powerful groundstrokes were too much for the experienced French start Cornet, particularly in an 18-minute first set when she was simply blown away, winning just five points.
Cornet drew the loudest cheer of the night when she held in the first game of the second on the Pat Rafter Arena.
She won two more games as Pliskova, 24, was finally extended but after 66 minutes the Czech won the title.
A US Open finalist last year, where she lost to Angelique Kerber, Pliskova won the girls' title at the Australian Open in 2010 when she beat Britain's Laura Robson in the final.
And in the week's third final, Czech world number 52 Katerina Siniakova claimed her maiden WTA Tour title with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Alison Riske to claim the Shenzhen Open final.
Having already beaten top-10 players Simona Halep and Johanna Konta on her way to the final the 20-year-old recovered from an early break to reel off four straight games on her way to the opener before breaking twice in the second set on the way to a 78-minute triumph.
