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Paul Ryding

Caroline Wozniacki wrapped up an incredible Asia swing after fighting off a brave comeback from surprise finalist Kristina Mladenovic to secure the 25th WTA title of her career at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Sunday evening.
The Dane, who also won the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last month, saw off her spirited French opponent 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 on a balmy Centre Court at Victoria Park.
A hamstrung Mladenovic had looked down and out at several points in the match as she battled on with a heavily strapped right thigh looking for her first WTA singles title, but in the end couldn’t live with the in-form Wozniacki.
Watch: Highlights of the Hong Kong Open final at Victoria Park


The final looked like being a total mismatch after a hugely one-sided opening set. Mladenovic looked outclassed in every department and couldn’t lay a glove on the determined Wozniacki. The 23-year-old’s own game let her down at times as she miscued routine returns and failed to take advantage of good chances to land a blow.
As the opening set wore on, it became clear that the Frenchwoman was being hampered by injury and she re-emerged for the second set after a medical timeout with a bandage around her right thigh.
“Yesterday after my semi-final, I was already struggling. I had cramps everywhere in my legs,” said the world number 54. “I had some very tough matches this week. I’ve been fighting a lot and struggling just trying to recover to be ready for the next day, so I was not coming out today fresh and if you’re playing someone like Caroline and just running down every single ball, it takes a lot more out of you.”
Wozniacki, however, later suggested there was an element of gamesmanship to her opponent’s injury claims.

“It wasn’t easy mentally because sometimes she would look like she couldn’t play and then she would run like Speedy Gonzales, so clearly it’s not that bad if you can run from side to side. It was definitely a mental game. I was just happy to win it even though it had to be three sets.”
Mladenovic may have struggled to get into the match during the opener, but she was far more effective in the second set and appeared to have figured out a successful gameplan. Demonstrating an incredibly deft touch, she continuously drew the former world number one to the net with inch perfect drop shots before flashing returns past the Dane. The strategy put her clear at 3-1 in the second set, and suddenly it was Wozniacki’s turn to chase.
Mladenovic then blew a chance to go 5-2 up when executing a sloppy return. Wozniacki capitalised to claim the game and extend the set.

The set went to a tie-beaker and when a particularly sparking rally came down on the Frechwoman’s side, she managed to see it out to extend the clash into a third stanza.
An increasingly struggling Mladenovic began to go down her haunches after every exchange and was notably hobbling around the court between points as the drop shot that had served her so well to that point began to misfire.
As the match drew closer to a conclusion, she was becoming increasingly emotional but seemed determined to see out the match and go out on her sword.
“I have no idea how I made it to three sets against Caroline - a top player,” she said. “I never pulled out or retired from any match in my career so far. I would have to have something really, really bad to make me retire from any match and even more a final.”

A brief comeback sparked excitement around the court - especially among a vocal French contingent, but it was to be short-lived and the Dane quickly saw out the win to claim her second title of the Asian swing.
Afterwards, Wozniacki took time to set the record straight on the ankle injury that derailed much of her 2016 season and was rumoured to be the reason she was considering retirement at just 26.
“You know your body and I knew that it was going to take a while for me to be back at 100 per cent,” she said. “I never really doubted that I could come back and make it here. I knew it was gonna be okay whether it was a month, two months, four months, I knew eventually I was gonna be back. I’m strapping up my foot and making sure it’s stable. I’m managing it fine.”
For Mladenovic it was a third runners-up trophy in her third final on the WTA Tour. Despite the injury that affected her performance, she reveled she is set to line up in Moscow this week, where she will end her singles season.


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Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open

Caroline Wozniacki downs hobbling Kristina Mladenovic to win Hong Kong Tennis Open title

Caroline Wozniacki lifts the Prudential Hong Kong Open trophy after winning the final on Sunday. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Kristina Mladenovic from France in action during 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park tennis stadium. 16OCT16 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark in action during 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park tennis stadium. 16OCT16 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Kristina Mladenovic from France take a break during 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park tennis stadium. 16OCT16 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Woz back to winning ways: Caroline Wozniacki ends title wait with victory at Tokyo’s Pan Pacific Open

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki celebrates after defeating Naomi Osaka of Japan in the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Photo: EPA

Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after losing a point against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their women's singles final match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on September 25, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / TORU YAMANAKA

epa05555085 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a return to Naomi Osaka of Japan during the women's singles final match at the Pan Pacific Open women's tennis tournament in Tokyo, Japan, 25 September 2016. Wozniacki won the tournament. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA

Hong Kong-bound Angelique Kerber downs Caroline Wozniacki for place in US Open final

Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates after defeating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the US Open semi-final. Photo: AFP

epa05531187 Slow shutter speed image showing Angelique Kerber of Germany hitting a return to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their Semifinal round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 08 September 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts losing a point against Angelique Kerber of Germany during their 2016 US Open Women’s Singles semifinal match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Don EMMERT

Angelique Kerber (R) of Germany greets Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the end of their 2016 US Open Women’s Singles semifinal match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Don EMMERT

epa05531173 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a return to Angelique Kerber of Germany during their Semifinal round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 08 September 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

Caroline Wozniacki beats China’s Wang Qiang to reach Hong Kong Open semis, seeking a second Asian title in a ‘difficult’ season

Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki in action against China's Wang Qiang. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Angelique Kerber of Germany in action against Daria Gavrilova of Australia during 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park tennis stadium. Angelique Kerber lost the game. 14OCT16 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

China's Wang Qiang in action against Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki during 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park tennis stadium. Wang lost. 14OCT16 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Prudential HK Tennis Open 2016

Sport

Hong Kong

Tennis

The Dane prevails 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 in the final at Victoria Park to claim the 25th WTA title of her career


Caroline Wozniacki downs hobbling Kristina Mladenovic to win Hong Kong Tennis Open title

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Dane prevails 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 in the final at Victoria Park to claim the 25th WTA title of her career

The Dane prevails 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 in the final at Victoria Park to claim the 25th WTA title of her career