Hong Kong – German top seed Sabine Lisicki recovered from a woeful start to beat Czech Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-3 in the final of the WTA Hong Kong Open for her first title in more than three years.
The world number 31, who received a wild card to play in the $250 000 tournament, suffered two early breaks to fall behind 5-1 in the opening set but fought back to win the next six games and the set.
Lisicki continued to dominate in the second set and raced to a 4-1 lead but number three seed Pliskova, ranked 36 in the world, broke to stage a brief fightback and get the set back on serve at 3-4.
The German, who served five aces in the second set, broke Pliskova again in the eighth game and then held serve to close out the match and bag her first crown since her victory in Dallas in 2011.
It was also Lisicki’s third victory in as many matches this year against the 22-year-old Pliskova, who lost her third singles final of 2014. – Reuters