Rome (AFP)
Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic won the WTA tournament in Rome on Sunday, beating England's Johanna Konta (42nd overall) 6-3, 6-4 to finish second in the world on Monday.
"Before the tournament, I was not very confident, I did not think at all in the final, I was happy to take match after match, so it's a bit of a miracle, the clay, this tournament where I I have never played well ... "said Pliskova in a press conference.
"It's great, especially since nobody really gave me a chance to win this tournament, neither did I," said the Czech, who has no reputation for being very comfortable clay.
But in a final that has not reached the heights between two former members of the world's Top 5, Pliskova has almost never been endangered.
Relying on her solid service, she kept control of the game all along, also taking advantage of Konta's many faults (26 in all).
A break in each set was enough in Pliskova, more offensive and more regular. The Czech, N.1 world in 2017, won in Rome the 13th title of his career, the largest with Cincinnati in 2016.
While she had never passed the quarter-finals on the Foro Italico courts, Pliskova lost only one set this week, in the quarterfinals against Azarenka and reaped the fruits of her work with Conchita Martinez.
"She loved clay, so she knows exactly what I should do, it's small things, moving, maybe lifting a little bit more, using the damping, which I'm never used to doing. there are more options, there is more time on clay, we are working on it, "she explained.
Already a finalist this season in Rabat, Konta confirmed this week in Italy his progress on clay.
"I'm really happy this week, there are a lot of things I can be proud of and support, it's my second final in three weeks, it's still really good. I am looking forward to Paris, "said the Briton.
? 2019 AFP