Karolina Pliskova produced a sparkling performance to beat Angelique Kerber 6-1 6-4 and win the Nature Valley International for the second time in three years.
The Czech, who did not drop a set all week, beat Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets in the final in 2017 and she is delighted to have repeated that feat against the German this year.
“I think this week was perfect,” Pliskova said. “I really enjoyed every day here and every day was kind of similar, because I was just rolling through and playing well every day.”
“Sometimes at a tournament you have a day where you just cannot put anything in and everything is against you. But somehow this week it didn’t come, which is a positive. Maybe the nerves are saved for Wimbledon, because there (matches) can be long.”
Pliskova improves her grass court game
While the facts are meaningful for World No.3 (this is her third title of 2019, her third title on grass and her 14th WTA title overall), her performances are potentially even more significant.
The Czech, 27, has played brilliant grass-court tennis this week. She has served superbly, she has consistently hit her trademark groundstrokes hard and deep and she has finished off points clinically at the net. Perhaps most tellingly of all, Pliskova has also made good use of the slice.
“I think I served well and cleverly used the slice wide which worked,” the Czech said. “Normally you’re never going hit 20 aces against Angie, but you just need to step after the serve and be aggressive. That’s what I did. That’s why I think I was holding my serve quite easily.”
She continued, “Obviously (my coach Conchita Martinez) played a lot of slices in her life. We practiced the slice a little bit more before grass because it can be quite effective, especially to change the rhythm.”
An improved slice could help Pliskova enormously at Wimbledon. She is in the opposite half of the draw to the nightmare quarter that features Kerber, Ashleigh Barty, Serena Williams, so she has a great chance to go for the title.
“I will take the positives (into Wimbledon) but I won’t be thinking that everything is going to be as easy as this week, because I’ve never had a week like this before,” the Czech said. “I didn’t lose that many games and I felt like everything went quite smoothly.”
Pliskova dominates from start to finish
Pliskova started the Eastbourne final very confidently. She unleashed a series of devastating groundstrokes that left Kerber floundering behind the baseline and soon established a 4-0 lead.
The German rallied to earn a break back and avoid total embarrassment in the opening set. However, the Czech restored her two-break advantage with two huge forehands and a well-judged slice and then held to clinch the set 6-1.
At the beginning of the second set, Kerber made a couple of costly errors to go a break down immediately. Pliskova then produced an exhibition of exemplary serving to rack up three easy holds and move 4-2 ahead.
The match almost ended rapidly after that, as the Czech had three chances to break in game seven. Kerber saved the first with a forehand winner and the second by forcing an error from the World No.3.
It looked like she might have lost it on the third break point. However, Hawkeye revealed that the German’s forehand winner had clipped the back of the line. She seemed buoyed by this reprieve and she played two excellent points to secure the hold.
In the next game, Pliskova responded to going 15-30 behind by hitting a backhand winner that landed on the sideline. She then beat Kerber in a battle of groundstrokes that only just cleared the net, before sealing the hold with an unreturnable serve. When she won the last point, the Czech let out a roar of delight. She clearly wanted to avoid a third set.
After Kerber held in game nine, Pliskova hit three big serves and a forehand winner to earn two match points. The German saved one with a forehand winner, but the Czech seized the second with a classy cross-court backhand.
Kerber reflects on Eastbourne and looks ahead to Wimbledon
“I think she played a perfect match,” Kerber said. “She played really well the whole week. I was trying to find my game, but she served well and she didn’t give me the chance to find my rhythm.”
“But I will try to take the positive things from the last two weeks before going to Wimbledon now.”
She continued, “It is always a challenge to play against Pliskova. Of course, there are a few things that I can change, that I can do better the next time. So, if I have the chance to play against her on grass again, I will try to be ready.”
Kerber also talked about what it would be like walking into Wimbledon as the defending champion. “I’m really looking forward to doing this,” she said. “Maybe I will take a picture of my name on the wall.”
“It is a special tournament, especially for me, and it’s a traditional tournament. So it will be nice to be back.”
