Pliskova foils US Open titlist on home turf

TOKYO – Fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova beat Naomi Osaka, 6-4, 6-4, on Sunday to win the Pan Pacific Open and deny the US Open champion a win in her home country.

Osaka, who upset Serena Williams in the final in New York, hadn’t dropped a set previous to Sunday’s final and was frustrated from the outset by the big-serving Czech player.

Pliskova broke Osaka for a second time to go up 5-4 in the second set and then hammered her sixth ace to secure her 11th career title.

Pliskova needed three dramatic sets in each of her matches to reach her second final of the season.

“I was just happy it didn’t go to a third set,” Pliskova said. “Naomi was playing so good all tournament but I think she was a little bit tired today.”