Tennis: Pliskova rallies to reach first Wimbledon final

LONDON - Former world number one Karolina Pliskova reached her maiden Wimbledon final after coming back from a set down to beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 5-7 6-4 6-4 on Thursday.

The Czech goes into Saturday's final looking to capture her first Grand Slam title, having only ever reached one other final when she finished runner-up to Angelique Kerber at the 2016 U.S. Open.

Pliskova will face another Wimbledon final debutant in world number one Ash Barty, who beat Kerber earlier on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Pliskova found it hard going against Sabalenka, the first seeded player she had faced in this year's tournament, and it showed as she dropped her first set on the only break point she faced with a double fault.

She made inroads on Sabalenka's booming serve, which reached speeds of 193 kilometres per hour, to clinch a break to love midway through the second set from which she served out to level the match.

The 23-year-old Sabalenka, playing in her first major semi-final, struggled for consistency, sending down 18 aces in the match but making 20 unforced errors including one to give up an early break in the first game of the deciding set.

Although the Belarusian rallied, Pliskova never looked in any danger, rarely breaking a sweat on her own serve as she booked her place in Saturday's showpiece with an ace. (Reporting by Christian Radnedge Editing by Toby Davis)

-reuters-

Tennis: Djokovic and Nadal to meet in Rome final, Konta faces Pliskova

ROME - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal won on Saturday to set up an Italian Open final meeting, while British number one Johanna Konta booked a final clash with Karolina Pliskova.

World number one Djokovic overcame Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-7(2) 6-3 and will face second seed Nadal for the 54th time on Sunday, ahead of this month’s French Open.

The Serbian triumphed in last week’s Madrid Open and has a chance to win back-to-back clay-court titles after overcoming the spirited Schwartzman in two hours 31 minutes.

Schwartzman, playing in a Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time, fought back from losing the first set in 36 minutes to take the second after a dominant tiebreak, but Djokovic got the crucial break in the sixth game of the deciding set to clinch victory.

Djokovic leads his head-to-head with Nadal by 28 wins to 25, but the Spaniard has dominated on clay with 16 victories to the Serbian’s seven.

Nadal progressed to his 50th Masters 1000 final thanks to a 6-3 6-4 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, avenging his defeat to the 20-year-old at the same stage a week ago in Madrid.

The 32-year-old broke Tsitsipas’s serve early in both sets while holding his own service games as he wrapped up victory in one hour 43 minutes.

“It’s an important victory for me because I played a solid match against a good player and a player who is winning lot of matches on this surface," Nadal said.

"Winning in straight sets against him is a very positive result. More than this is a feeling that I am playing better every week, every day. That's important for me."

The win keeps Nadal in the hunt for a ninth Italian Open title after he lost at the semi-final stages of his last four tournaments.

In the women's singles, Konta came from a set behind to beat Madrid Open champion Kiki Bertens 5-7 7-5 6-2 and progress to her first WTA Premier clay final.

She will face world number seven Pliskova, who defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-4.

It will be Konta’s second final of the clay-court season, after finishing as runner-up to Sakkari at the Morocco Open, as she heads into the French Open in fine form.

The 28-year-old lost her momentum after being broken while serving for the first set but fought back by taking the second.

She pulled away in the final set, breaking the Dutch world number four's serve twice before securing victory on her fourth match point.

“After I lost the first set, I mean, I didn’t do much wrong," Konta said.

"It was a very good set of tennis. Equally the second set, as well. There wasn’t anybody putting a bad foot out of line.

“In the third, I definitely felt that I was able to maintain my level a bit better than her. I think that gave me the upper hand in stringing some more points together. I’m just very happy to have come through.”

Konta became the first British woman to reach the final of the tournament since Virginia Wade in 1971. 

(Reporting by Alasdair Mackenzie, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Clare Fallon)

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Tennis: Williams stunned by Pliskova fightback at Australian Open

MELBOURNE - Serena Williams squandered four match points and blew a 5-1 lead in the decider as seventh seed Karolina Pliskova produced a stunning fightback to claim a 6-4 4-6 7-5 quarter-final victory over the American at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Williams, chasing a milestone 24th Grand Slam triumph, also saved two match points in the last game but netted on the third as the big-serving Czech shocked a packed Rod Laver Arena with her remarkable rally from the brink of defeat.

Pliskova advances to meet Naomi Osaka for a place in the final, denying Williams the chance to avenge her controversial U.S. Open title match defeat to the Japanese fourth seed.

"She improved her game in the second set. She was playing very well, went for her shots. I was a bit passive," an elated Pliskova said in a post-match interview.

"My mind wasn't in the locker room, I was still here. I was a bit passive. But I said 'let's try this game'. I took my chances and I won.

"I am happy I get to play two days in a row. Osaka's dangerous but I don't think anyone is more dangerous than Serena. So I will enjoy this one."

Former world number one Williams, seeded 16 as she continues her return to the circuit after giving birth in September 2017, had struggled early and needed to launch her own comeback from a break down in the second set to level the match.

She carried the momentum into the decider and roared to 5-1 lead as the tall Czech's power game crumbled. However, the 37-year-old suffered an astonishing wobble with the finish line in sight, the American broken twice when serving for the match.

Pliskova held grimly on, saving one match point in the seventh game and three more at 5-4 down, before racing through the next three games to complete the stunning triumph. 

(Editing by John O'Brien)

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Tennis: Pliskova, Sabalenka power through in Tianjin

Top seed Karolina Pliskova bulldozed her way into the Tianjin Open quarter-finals by beating Slovenian Polona Hercog 6-1 6-2 on Wednesday as the Czech power-hitter eyes a place at the WTA Finals later this month.

Pliskova, currently holding eighth spot in the Race to Singapore standings, must reach the semi-finals in Tianjin to secure one of the three available qualifying places for the season-ending tournament starting on Oct. 21.

The world number seven's 50-minute win came after a powerful start and she claimed 80 percent of her first-serve points.

"I'm just happy that I didn't spend that much time on the court today and I can rest a little bit and prepare for my next match," Pliskova said.

Fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova or Briton Katie Boulter awaits Pliskova in the last eight.

Fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka, who must lift the Tianjin trophy to maintain her slim chances of a WTA Finals debut, beat Poland's Magda Linette 6-1 6-3 to reach the last eight.

"I was thinking I need to win this tournament - but at the moment I don't care about Singapore," the Belarusian said. "At the moment I'm focused on each match."

Wuhan champion Sabalenka produced a string of powerful groundstrokes, giving her opponent no chance to find her rhythm.

The 20-year-old will face either Swiss Timea Bacsinszky or Japanese qualifier Misaki Doi in the quarter-finals. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; editing by Ken Ferris)

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Dominant Pliskova beats Vandeweghe to win Stuttgart title

Karolina Pliskova won her first title of the year on Sunday with a 7-6(2) 6-4 victory over American CoCo Vandeweghe in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

The dominant Czech fifth seed fired 11 aces and wrapped up the match in an hour and 56 minutes to halt Vandeweghe's fine run in the claycourt tournament at Stuttgart.

The 26-year-old Vandeweghe beat world number one Simona Halep and U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens earlier in the tournament but could not find a way past Pliskova.

"It's the best atmosphere to play in Germany," Pliskova said after the match. "I want to thank my team. I think we had a great week and without them I would not have the trophy."

Former world number one Pliskova trailed 2-0 in the tiebreak at the end of a tight first set but reeled off seven points in a row for an early advantage in the contest.

After Vandeweghe called for the trainer following a tumble early in the second set, Pliskova raised her level and broke her bruised opponent's serve to go up 3-2.

Pliskova saved a breakpoint in the next game to increase her lead. She then broke Vandeweghe again to make it 5-2 before the American attempted a late fightback with a break of her own.

Pliskova, however, maintained focus to serve out the match.

Victory in Stuttgart gave world number six Pliskova a 10th career title and her first since winning the trophy in Eastbourne last year.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)

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Tennis: Halep roars back to dismantle Pliskova

MELBOURNE - Top seed Simona Halep recovered from a slow start before racing away to a 6-3 6-2 victory over big-serving Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in their Australian Open quarter-final on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Romanian world number one, still seeking a first grand slam title, trailed 3-0 but battened down the hatches to reel off the next nine games on her way to a first Melbourne semi-final.

An increasingly deflated Pliskova eventually stopped the rot but with Halep offering precious little in the way of cheap points, the result soon became a formality.

Halep made only 10 unforced errors in the one hour, 11 minute contest on Rod Laver Arena and sealed victory with a deep return which Pliskova could only slap into the net.

She described the performance as her best of the tournament so far but she might need to go up another level in the semi-final, where she faces the in-form 2016 Melbourne champion Angelique Kerber.

"I think this was a great match. The best this tournament. I started slow but then I got used to the rhythm. I got used to everything. I played very well," she said.

"You never know with her because she has crazy good shots sometimes and also the serve. But I read her serve many times today. I just was very strong on the return."

There was early encouragement for Pliskova as she held an extended opening service game then cracked a forehand winner to earn a break point, which she converted when Halep missed a forehand over the baseline.

When she held for 3-0 there was no hint of what was to come.

Halep, saved a break point in the next game as Pliskova netted a routine forehand, then settled into her usual groove and the errors began to flow from across the net.

Pliskova surrendered the opening set with a double-fault and dropped serve again to trail 2-0 in the second.

Halep, who said she was untroubled by the ankle problem that has bothered her at times here, was never going to lose her grip from there, even if Pliskova did offer some late resistance.

Pliskova was left to rue the chance she had to make it 4-0.

"That was a huge game to go a double-break up," she said after Halep improved her head-to-head record against the Czech to 6-1.

"It would be not for sure, but most probably my set, the first one. I don't think I did something that wrong. Maybe just the big points I play bad against her, then it changes quickly.

"I think all the matches we play are pretty similar. I feel she just likes my game." (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by John O'Brien)

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Nadal, Federer move on at US Open, Fognini kicked out

NEW YORK -- Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer edged closer to a US Open semi-final blockbuster on Saturday as controversial Italian Fabio Fognini was kicked out for a vile, misogynistic tirade at a female umpire.

Nadal, 31, saw off Argentine lucky loser Leonardo Mayer 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, taking his record over the world number 59 from Buenos Aires to 4-0.

He will face Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov, against whom he is 6-2, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Five-time champion Federer brushed aside 31st seed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to take his career record against the Spaniard, playing a 63rd successive Grand Slam, to 13-0.

Next up for Federer is Philipp Kohlschreiber, who he leads 11-0.

Nadal had dropped the first set of his second-round match against Japan's Taro Daniel before winning in four.

Saturday was almost a carbon copy with the 15-time major winner unable to convert any of six points in the opener.

But the match turned in the 10-minute seventh game of the second set when, on his 14th break point of the encounter, Nadal finally smashed through.

"It was tough. It took 14 break points -- that's not a good figure. But I was there mentally and fought a lot at the right moments," said Nadal under the Arthur Ashe roof as rain fell outside.

Federer had needed back-to-back five-setters to defeat Frances Tiafoe and Mikhail Youzhny in his first two rounds.

However, on Saturday, he swept past Lopez to reach the fourth round for the 16th time.

"I'm very happy to get through. It's a great feeling to play out here," said Federer.

"I struggled in the first two rounds but tonight I played a very clean match."

Kohlschreiber, the German 33rd seed, eliminated Australia's John Millman 7-5, 6-2, 6-4.

Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem defeated France's Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to make the last 16 for the third time in four years.

Thiem next faces 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who put out Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Russia's Andrey Rublev became the second teenager in the last 16 when he beat Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

Rublev, just 19, faces Belgian ninth seed David Goffin, who progressed when 2016 semi-finalist Gael Monfils retired with a right knee injury.

Meanwhile, Fognini was kicked out of the tournament for making foul-mouthed comments to female umpire Louise Engzell during his first-round loss to Stefano Travaglia.

Fognini and compatriot Simone Bolelli had reached the third round of the men's doubles but tournament organizers axed him from the event.

Fognini, the world number 26, was also fined $24,000.

 
- Pliskova saves match point -

Women's top seed Karolina Pliskova saved a match point to defeat China's Zhang Shuai, hanging on to her world number one spot in the process.

Top seed Pliskova, the runner-up in 2016, triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 but was forced to save a match point in the 10th game of the second set and recover from a break down in the decider.

"I was match point down and I thought I haven't tried many forehand winners down the line. That's what I did. I may not have got another chance," said the 25-year-old, who will next face Jennifer Brady of the United States.

Brady has just seven wins on the tour this year, but all have come at the Slams.

Had she lost on Saturday, Pliskova would also have been guaranteed to lose her world number one ranking to either Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza or Elina Svitolina.

Ukraine fourth seed Svitolina stayed in contention with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Shelby Rogers of the United States.

Russia's Daria Kasatkina reached the last 16 of a major for the first time by seeing off French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, the 12th seed, 6-3, 6-2.

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Muguruza outlasts Kuznetsova, next faces Pliskova in Cincinnati

Fourth-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza won a lengthy battle against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-2 5-7 7-5 on a hot and windy day on Friday to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals.

Wimbledon champion Muguruza stuck out her tongue in exasperation after finally prevailing in the two hour 45-minute contest between the two grand slam winners.

Playing a day after deadly attacks killed a total of 14 people in Barcelona and the coastal town of Cambrils in Spain, Muguruza wore a white visor with a black ribbon as a tribute.

"Barcelona te siento. Barcelona I feel you," Muguruza wrote on Twitter after the match.

Muguruza next faces world number one Karolina Pliskova, who won back-to-back matches on Friday.

The Czech first defeated Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi 6-3 4-6 6-0 in a match postponed by a day because of rain.

The top seed then took another step toward successfully defending her title by overpowering former world number one Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in her second match.

Pliskova had 27 winners to Wozniacki's eight with only 13 unforced errors compared to the sixth-seeded Dane's 19.

Second seed Simona Halep also beat Britain's Johanna Konta for the first time in an exciting back and forth 6-4 7-6(1) victory.

Halep capitalised on a service break in the first set and then raced out to a 4-1 lead in the second before Konta fought back to send it into a tie-break.

The Romanian, however, dominated the tie-break to set up a semi-final match against American Sloane Stephens.

The American continued her strong form following her return at Wimbledon after an 11-month absence with a foot injury by defeating Germany's Julia Goerges 6-1 7-6(3).

Stephens had earlier beaten Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 2-6 6-3 6-4.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll; ediitng by Ken Ferris)

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Wozniacki topples top seed Pliskova at Toronto tennis

TORONTO - Caroline Wozniacki survived three rain delays to book her spot in the WTA Toronto tournament semi-final with a marathon 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 victory over world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova on Friday.

The sixth seeded Wozniacki posted her first career win over a number-one player in seven tries as she blasted eight aces in the two-hour, 56-minute centre court match.

She next faces American Sloane Stephens, who saved three match points in the third set to oust Lucie Safarova 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 in their quarter-final.

Pliskova fired five aces but won just 45 percent of her second-serve points.

"I thought she started off really strongly and she was attacking and playing really, really well," Wozniacki said.

"After that, I feel like I stepped a little bit closer to the line just to try and take away a little bit of time. I once I kind of got on a roll, I started serving better.

"I just tried to stay steady, tried to take the ball on the rise and try to stay aggressive when I could and keep my serves aggressive too."

Wozniacki's record against number ones included five losses to Serena Williams and one to Dinara Safina.

"I don't really think about too much," Wozniacki said, speaking of her feat in defeating a top seed. "I knew I was going to play someone that was really tough today, and I'm just happy with my win."

Pliskova started quickly by winning five of the first six games of the first set which was delayed at the start by rain.

Wozniacki then started to assert herself on defence and offence, moving Pliskova around the court to win six straight games to take the first set.

Pliskova never recovered from that first set loss. From then on, it was a matter of Wozniacki wearing her opponent down by keeping the ball in play.

"I think the biggest mistake was in the first set -- so because of that, I think I lost," Pliskova said. "Overall, the match was much longer than just the hours on the court.

"It's just tough to play her in these conditions. She's putting everything back, so obviously, I did some mistakes."

Wozniacki will have her hands full with Stephens, who reached the quarters with wins over third seed Angelique Kerber and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

Stephens won the last four games and saved three match points to oust Safarova.

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Pliskova world no.1 as rivals wilt

PARIS, France -- Karolina Pliskova is the new world number one in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday despite never having won a major tournament.

The 25-year-old Czech jumped from third place to the top after world number two Simona Halep lost in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, and previous top ranked Angelique Kerber fell in the fourth round.

Pliskova becomes number one without ever having lifted one of the four majors in tennis.

She did however reach the US Open final last year, the French Open semi-finals this year and has won three tour titles in 2017: Brisbane, Doha and Eastbourne.

Rankings:

 1. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6855 pts

 2. Simona Halep (ROM) 6670

 3. Angelique Kerber (GER) 5975

 4. Johanna Konta (GBR) 5110

 5. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 4990

 6. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4935

 7. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 4780

 8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 4500

 9. Venus Williams (USA) 4461

10. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 3985

10. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 3985

11. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 3710

12. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 3530

13. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 3155

14. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 3135

15. Serena Williams (USA) 2810

16. Madison Keys (USA) 2353

17. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2235

18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2160

19. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2121

20. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 1955

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Kerber begins reign as No. 1 with U.S. Open win

NEW YORK -- Germany's Angelique Kerber began her reign as world No. 1 in imperious style battling past a determined Karolina Pliskova, 6-3 4-6 6-4, to win the U.S. Open final on Saturday and claim her second grand slam title of the year.

Kerber, who officially takes over from Serena Williams as the world's top ranked player on Monday, underlined her No. 1 status displaying the heart of a champion as she fought off a fierce challenge from Czech 10th seed Pliskova on a steamy afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 28-year-old began the grand slam year beating Serena Williams to lift the Australian Open title and celebrated again on Saturday when she became the first German to win the U.S. Open in 20 years.

Kerber recovered from a break down in the third set, pouncing on her wilting opponent with two breaks in the third set to end a compelling, high-quality battle of attrition that stretched for two hours and seven minutes.

"It's just amazing," a beaming Kerber, told an adoring crowd after being handed the winner's check of $3.5 million. "I won my second grand slam in one year. That's the best of my career.

"Actually just incredible.

"When I was a kid I was always dreaming to be the number one player in the world and win grand slams and today is the day I won my second grand slam here, especially in New York. I'm the number one player on Monday.

"All the dreams came true this year."

Pliskova, who arrived at Flushing Meadows with a reputation of grand slam under-achiever having never before been beyond the third round of the major, shed that label by making it all the way to the final and taking on back-to-back world number ones.

After beating top ranked Serena Williams in the semi-finals to end the American's record-equaling 186 consecutive weeks stay at the top of the rankings, the big-hitting Pliskova, who has led the WTA Tour in aces the last two season, attacked her successor in the final but could not break down the tireless German's defense.

"You cannot compare those two (Serena Williams and Kerber)," explained Pliskova. "The game is totally different. The persons as well. Serena is going for every shot.

"With Angie, you cannot wait for mistakes. She doesn't give you anything. I have to be the one who is aggressive.

"I beat very good players. It was always my goal to pass the third round and I made it to the final."

Kerber admires compatriot Steffi Graf, but is blazing her own trail.

Comparisons, though, are inevitable after Kerber became the first German to win the U.S. Open since Graf claimed the last of her five Flushing Meadows crowns in 1996.

"She was always my idol and I told her so many times," said Kerber, adding that Graf had sent her a text wishing her luck. "For me it's really important to go on my own way."

The match opened with Kerber breaking a jittery Pliskova and ended the same way, though for most part it was a very even contest.

Kerber's loss of the second set was the first time the entire championship that she had dropped a set.

But she fought back in the third set and wore down the towering Czech, who started to wilt in the punishing conditions, hunching over her racket at the end of almost every point.

Kerber, sensing an opening, stepped up the pressure and pace getting triple break point at 5-4 and closed out the contest on the first match point.

"I think I was just believing in myself in the third set and just going for it," said Kerber.

"I think that was the key at the end of the third set, that I was trying to take the chance, just go for it."

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With Serena waiting in wings, Pliskova powers through

NEW YORK -- Czech Karolina Pliskova blew past Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals and a possible clash with world number one Serena Williams.

Tenth-seeded Pliskova, who survived a match point in her fourth-round victory over sixth-seeded Venus Williams, will face either Serena or fifth-seeded Romanian Simona Halep for a place in Saturday's championship match.

The US superstar has won seven of eight career meetings with Halep, the Romanian taking a surprise 6-0, 6-2 victory at the 2014 WTA Finals.

But Serena has looked formidable in surrendering just 20 games in four straight sets victories so far in Flushing Meadows.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who has shown no sign of the shoulder trouble that hindered her in the wake of her Wimbledon triumph, says she's slowly reaching her peak form.

"I just feel like I'm going out there doing what I need to do," she said. "I'm not overplaying, I'm not underplaying. I'm just trying to play my way into this tournament."

Pliskova said she'd be watching the Williams-Halep clash with interest as she readies for her first Grand Slam semi-final on Thursday evening.

"I'm so excited to be in my first semi-final," said the 24-year-old, who had failed to make it out of the third round in 17 prior Grand Slam appearances.

Having broken through to the quarters she didn't waste her opportunity.

With a quick break under her belt in the opening game she was able to swing freely and needed just 57 minutes to subdue Konjuh, who upset fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round.

"I think it was the serve," said Pliskova, who finished off the match with two of her three aces. "My serve was very good today."

Konjuh said Pliskova was "just too good".

"Her serve is just too good. She found her rhythm and took the opportunities that I gave her."

But Konjuh, who is projected to rise from 92nd in the world to 51, couldn't be disappointed with her fortnight's work.

"I cannot be sad after all of this," she said. "When I came here I could only imagine playing the quarters. I think it's been a great tournament."

Despite her dearth of Grand Slam success, Pliskova is playing with confidence after winning her biggest title to date on the hard courts of Cincinnati.

She beat Angelique Kerber in the final to deny the German world number two's bid to supplant Serena atop the world rankings.

Kerber, who booked her semi-final slot on Tuesday with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over 2015 finalist Roberta Vinci, can still nudge Serena from the summit.

No matter the outcome of Kerber's semi-final clash with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, Serena must now reach the final to stretch her reign to a record-breaking 187 weeks.

If Kerber advances to the title match, Serena will have to beat her for a seventh US Open trophy to stay number one.

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