Pliskova beats Osaka on home soil to win Pan Pacific Open

TOKYO (AP) – Fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova beat Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win the Pan Pacific Open and deny the U.S. 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 an ace to secure her 11th career title.

It was the second time Osaka came up short in the tournament. Two years ago, Osaka lost in the final to Caroline Wozniacki, this year’s top-seeded player who was eliminated by Camila Giorgi in the second round.

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Karolina Pliskova, of Czech Republic celebrates after defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic during their semifinal match of the Pan Pacific Open women’s tennis tournament in Tokyo Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a shot against Italy’s Camila Giorgi during the semifinal match of the Pan Pacific Open women’s tennis tournament in Tokyo Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)