By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 30, 2017
Caroline Wozniacki fought past second-seeded Karolina Pliskova, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, into her first Miami Open final.
Photo credit: Miami Open
Three set points slipped from her grip and along with it the first set, but Caroline Wozniacki was in no mood for moping as she bounced up and down behind the baseline eager to open the second set.
Fueled by positive energy and strong fitness, Wozniacki wore down Karolina Pliskova, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, surging into her first career Miami Open final.
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Though the match shaped up as the classic contrast between aggressive baseliner Pliskova and counter puncher Wozniacki, the former No. 1 flipped the tactical script at times.
To be sure, Wozniacki’s consistency and court coverage was key, but she attacked at times, broke serve six times and out-aced the WTA ace leader seven to five.
“It was definitely a mental grind,” Wozniacki told ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert afterward. “Having two or three set points and ending up losing it (is) kind of depressing when you’re out there. I got a good start to the second set and that kind of got me fired up.”
The 12th-seeded Wozniacki marched into her third final of the season. Wozniacki, who has won 44 of her last 53 matches since the start of the 2016 US Open, will play either three-time champion Venus Williams or 10th-seeded Johanna Konta in Saturday’s 1 p.m. championship match.
If Wozniacki takes the title she would return to the Top 10 with a projected ranking of No. 8.
"It’s extremely special," Wozniacki said. "Having a place here and training here in the offseason and playing (on my) home court it’s special to be in my first finals here. I’m extremely excited."
Today’s opening semifinal was a rematch of last month’s Doha final where Pliskova prevailed, 6-3, 6-4, for her first victory over the Dane in four meetings.
Whether or not Wozniacki needed a reminder of the powerful presence she was up against, she got one in the opening game. Pliskova pounded out three forehand winners then hit a backhand behind her sprinting opponent for the opening break.
The woman who once ran the New York City Marathon knows that resorting to pure retrieving won’t get it done against Pliskova. Wozniacki has to come out of her comfort zone to compete with the explosive Czech.
She did that superbly crunching a backhand swing volley before bouncing airborne to flick a high backhand volley—making the toughest shot in tennis look natural—holding in the third game.
Serving at 30-all in the eighth game, Pliskova was stifled by a deep return to face break point. Wozniacki spun a high, heavy return rattling the second seed’s blue Babolat racquet into a floated error breaking back for 4-all.
Staring down set point at 4-5, Pliskova answered with a 110 mph missile wide setting up a forehand winner. On the second set point, Pliskova tattooed a 112 mph ace—her fastest serve of the match—then followed with a big second serve denying a third set point.
The US Open champion powered past the three-set point test eventually leveling 5-all.
Hangover from lost opportunity haunted Wozniacki, who let a 30-15 lead slip. Bumping a drop shot in the tape, clanking a double fault and overhitting a backhand, Wozniacki gifted the break and a 6-5 lead to the world No. 3.
Saving the first set point she faced, Wozniacki was in prime position for a routine forehand volley but gagged pushing the shot into the net.
On her second set point, Pliskova thumped a 110 serve winner out wide for a one-set lead after 62 minutes.
The Dane in red recorded the first break of the second set for 2-0.
Rarely does Pliskova show much emotion, but frustration erupted when Wozniacki aced out the third game. Pliskova bounced her racquet off the purple court in disgust.
Coach David Kotyza came out to pump up a disconsolate Pliskova who slapped her racquet against the bench at one point. A lethargic-looking Pliskova wasn’t matching Wozniacki’s baseline consistency. The former No. 1 broke again for 5-1.
Wozniacki whizzed her fifth ace down the middle leveling the match after 100 minutes of play.
Tested severely in the opening game of the decider, Pliskova saved three break points. But she flat-lined a backhand into net on the fourth break point as Wozniacki snatched her fourth straight game.
As Wozniacki continued extending points control continued eluding Pliskova, who sprayed a backhand long giving the two-time semifinalist a 4-1 double-break lead.
Wozniacki wrapped up a two hour, 16-minute win raising her record to 23-6.