Caroline Wozniacki Wins Pan Pacific Open for First Title of the Year

Caroline Wozniacki Wins Pan Pacific Open for First Title of the Year

PUBLISHED September 28, 2016

Caroline Wozniacki overcame injury to beat Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 and win the Pan Pacific Open on Sunday.

Wozniacki, who also won the event in 2010, took control in the second set when she broke in the second game.

The former No. 1 led 5-0 before Osaka fought back to give home fans some hope, but Wozniacki sealed victory in the ninth game when Osaka’s return went wide.

Wozniacki, who has faced ankle and wrist injuries this season, took a medical timeout midway through the first set because of a sore groin and came back with a bandaged left leg. She broke Osaka after returning and won three of the last four games of the set.

”I’m enjoying it at the moment,” said U.S. Open semifinalist Wozniacki. ”Injuries happen and you never know when you can be taken out of the game, so I’m just enjoying every minute.”

The veteran’s consistency won the day, with just 16 unforced errors to Osaka’s 32. Ruthless on the crucial points, Wozniacki converted five of six break point opportunities and won an impressive 11 of 12 forays to the net.

Wozniacki, who rose to number 28 in the world after reaching the semi-finals of the U.S. Open earlier this month, will move another four or five spots closer to the top 20 on the back of her first title since Kuala Lumpur in March last year.