Karolina Pliskova’s serve could not withstand the consistency to win at the Miami Open. The offense of Caroline Wozniacki brought the Czech star down to a level that gave her the break to advance to the finals winning 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 on center court at Crandon Park Tennis Center Thursday.
The world number 14 went for revenge against Pliskova since her straight sets loss at the Qatar Open back in February. The world number three dispatched Wozniacki allowing her seven combined wins that produced her first win against the Dane in their four game series. Playing in the semifinals of another high profile WTA tournament has the two taking the match very seriously with Wozniacki having been in two finals already this season. Getting into the third would definitely take a lot of fight to counteract the moves of the Czech who vied for her own chance at a third WTA title of the year.
She came out guns blazing winning the first two games with seven combined winners that broke Wozniacki. The third was an important hold for the 26 year old despite having to play on deuce. She pushed her Czech opponent into the same but couldn’t get the break to level up.
Pliskova kept the lead through seven with the Dane making every effort to keep her within reach.
Wozniacki captured her first break of the set getting herself even at a critical point to turn the tables with the set nearing its possible end. The ninth was a long fight for control which in the end Wozniacki captured. Her leverage carried into the tenth where gaining a set up on Pliskova would be essential to her work going forward. The world number three never allowed her to do that pulling off a fight to snatch the advantage away and save the set. The Czech’s counteraction forced play to go forward where it was still anyone’s to lead.
Mistakes from Wozniacki’s serve opened the door wide for Pliskova to get her chance at serving for the set. Knowing that she couldn’t follow the pattern of her Danish rival, the third seed stayed tight and took the set after one hour and two minutes. The performance of the two on serve was near even but the difference maker came on the second serve of Wozniacki who struggled on the second serve and first returns.
The Dane knew that she had to make good on opening the second set or give too much comfort to Pliskova to run through it. The two got into a nine minute game where a break for Czech looked eminent but the hold for Wozniacki was critical. After a few breaks, the 14th seed got her serve secured to begin the set on a positive note. A break for her allowed her an early two game gap on Pliskova with the hope that more could be produced.
She went three straight which infuriated Pliskova to the point of slamming down her racket and needing a talking with her coach to calm. When the break was over, the number three seed got a service hold to get on the board but the gap was going to be an undertaking. She watched as Wozniacki went up 4-1 needing every opportunity to attack her opponent. The Dane was on a roll getting up to 5-1 in hopes to send the set to its distance.
Pliskova had other ideas pulling for the break that would extend her life in the second set. Unable to capitalize on the chance, the game went to deuce only to last a single break where a solid recovery gave her the victory landing an ace to conclude another 38 minutes of play. The problems were Pliskova’s dismal serve percentage that had her unable to counteract the moves by Wozniacki.
It became clear in the final set who began to dictate things early until something came together for the number three seed. The win for Pliskova was short lived as she couldn’t get herself into a pace with Wozniacki who found the journey to a match win easy to get to. She had a 4-1 rout going into the sixth where being on either side was manageable for her. She coasted through the final two games looking to be in complete control of her march to victory. The final win came in the seventh where she dominated Pliskova into submission to walk away with a spot in the finals after 2 hours and 16 minutes.
With a third finals appearance in play, Wozniacki will await patiently as she’ll go against the winner between Venus Williams and Johanna Konta who is seeking her second career WTA title.
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