Naomi Osaka’s winning streak comes to an end in Pan Pacific Open loss to Karolina Pliskova

Naomi Osaka’s dominant run came to end on Sunday in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova in the final of the Pan Pacific Open.

Playing in her first tournament since upsetting Serena Williams to win the US Open on September 8, third-seeded Osaka hadn’t dropped a set prior to Sunday’s final but was frustrated from the outset by the big-serving Czech player.

Pliskova came into the final having won her last four matches against the Japanese dating back to the Brisbane International in January 2017 – and kept that streak alive while putting an end to Osaka’s 10-match winning streak.

Pliskova needed three dramatic sets in each of her matches to reach her second final of the season.

“I was just happy it didn’t go to a third set,” Pliskova said. “Naomi was playing so good all tournament but I think she was a little bit tired today.”

Osaka started well with a pair of aces to win the opening game but Pliskova won her first break point of the match and took a 3-2 lead.

The 20-year-old local favourite was barely tested in her first three matches of the tournament but faced a much sterner challenge against Pliskova.