Saturday was finals day at the 2017 Aegon International and the end of a great week in Eastbourne. The women’s final was first up on Centre Court at 12:15pm between the number three and six seeds, Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki. Pliskova prevailed, 6-4 6-4 in a high quality finale.
Pliskova played a stunning first set, breaking at 2-2 with a series of heavy, deep groundstrokes and finished off with a return winner. Pliskova was lethal on her serve and dropped just one point in her final three service games. She served out to love with an ace and three volley winners – very impressive!
Wozniacki kept in touch early on in the second set and was actually serving extremely well herself. The crucial game of the set came with Pliskova serving at *2-3. For the first time in the match, Wozniacki challenged Pliskova on serve but she was unable to convert on four break points. Three of them were saved in style by Pliskova, but one was a beaming opportunity for Wozniacki who sent a groundstroke long.
Pliskova held to 3-3 and then made her breakthrough at 4-4 – Wozniacki quickly went down *0-40 with two misses and a tame shot into the net. The Dane saved two of them but couldn’t save the third as Pliskova produced a magnificent forehand winner down-the-line to break. On her third match point, Pliskova sealed the win and her ninth WTA title.
All my pictures from the final and the trophy ceremony are up on the Moo’s Tennis Blog Facebook and Twitter pages
Wozniacki was first into press and seemed content despite this being her fourth final loss of the year. She was asked about the game in the second set where she missed break points. Wozniacki seemed happy with her approach in that she went after it.
I’ve wanted to ask Caroline a question in her past two press conferences but chickened out. I finally got one in today on my last day :-). I asked Caroline about what aspects of her game she was happy with.
Then it was the turn of the champion!
Pliskova’s first question was about the trophy!
It was my first ever Pliskova press conference and I loved her honesty in her assessment of the final.
I wanted to see the women’s doubles final between Casey Dellacqua and Ash Barty, and Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan, but home is calling! Southern Trains are up the creek again so I couldn’t stay late.
And that’s a wrap for Eastbourne. This has been a surreal week and i’ve had such a great time! My highlights have included watching Timea and Sveta in doubles battling the pigeons and getting a message from Timea on Twitter! Also, asking questions in press and getting a smile with one to Simona! And finally, best of all, getting to meet and talk to so many people here in Eastbourne.
I hope you’ve enjoyed all my posts and photos from Eastbourne – if you missed out on any, you can catch up with them HERE. As i’ve been in Eastbourne all week this year, i’m obviously behind on my Wimbledon posts! The focus on Wimby will start tonight and previews will start to pop up on Sunday.
Goodbye, Eastbourne. See you next year!
Moo's Tennis Blog 
Super happy to see Pliskova and Djokovic win the titles- I’m even more miffed that I didn’t go now!
I have a feeling that these will be our Wimbledon winners, also.
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Atleast djokovic is not going to win wimby,that’s already known to all
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Pretty sure Djokovic is third favorite to win behind Federer and Nadal according to the bookies.
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I’ve just done a draw for the men and i’ve gone for Djokovic 😂😂😂
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Djokovic will probably relish going into Wimbledon as a bit of an underdog. He definitely has some obstacles in his draw, namely Klizan and Del Potro, but his form in the last two matches of Eastbourne has been very convincing. His serve in particular is at the highest level in probably 12 months, and he seems to have regained clarity in his shotmaking and point construction.
Wimbledon will be a big test for Rafa. Aside from a couple of matches, I haven’t been overly impressed with him this year. I simply think he hasn’t had to play anything extraordinary to win. And the occasions when he has been challenged, he’s lost (namely in the Federer matches).
As for Federer… I just don’t really understand how he’s able to play the level he has this year, if I’m honest. I think what may be his undoing at Wimbledon may be that this is the one title that he REALLY wants to win. His strength has always been his ability to play relaxed, calm, pressure free tennis. And I think he might feel a bit of pressure this time around. I’d fancy Dimitrov to finally score a win against Roger.
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According to the WTA website, the last Czech woman to win Eastbourne went on to win Wimbledon the same year – Jana Novotna, in 1998, so maybe history will repeat itself. The downside was that it was the only slam she ever did win, but I don’t think she cared all that much – she was delighted to win just that one after blowing her lead over Steffi Graf in the Wimbledon final five years earlier (and famously breaking down in tears on the Duchess of Kent’s shoulder at the presentation – something she’s always remembered for).
I have a feeling though that Karo will win a slam, and very soon; if not Wimbledon, maybe the US Open which she came very close to winning last year.
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I agree with you, Graham. I think she’s ready for that next step.
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I always remember Jana for being ‘too old’ to play doubles with Martina ‘the Bitch’ Hingis.
I honestly think Pliskova has the mentality to go on to become #1 and to win multiple slams. Whether she can do both simultaneously may be another feat altogether, as Kerber is struggling with at the moment.
People still seem to regard Petra Kvitova as having more potential, but I think Karolina is just a little tougher and more balanced psychologically, in addition to having (in my opinion) a slightly superior game in almost every regard. Time will tell on that one. I’d LOVE a Kvitova / Pliskova final at Wimbledon!
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At the Big W, I have Ka Plis as a slight favorite over Petra due to Petra’s lack of tournament play following the attack. The bookies have them as big even favorites.
Bad draw for CC Bellis getting Azarenka in the first round.
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Bellis-Azarenka is the one match i’m really struggling to pick a winner for!
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I picked Bellis on recent form but then theres Watson and Sevastova , that section alone is tricky !
In the mens, I went for Federer ,but after the brilliant year he’s had, can he keep this up ?And can Nadal avoid another early exit at Wimby , or win the whole thing? :unsure:
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Indeed, that section is very tricky indeed!
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I have a strong feeling the men’s section will get a traditional winner, the women’s section, I feel can throw a surprise. Personally, I’m not catching the wimbers excitement this time around. I hope others do enjoy it though.
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The rest of its not much easier ! ! I changed my mind a few times, ended up with Kerber rediscovering her form into the semis. Also had Ostapenko there, beating Venus .
Anyway , its 1am and my brackets are all in , I’m pretty tired as well !
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That’s fair, Kerber has a good draw. I’ve tried to not overdeliberate this year with my draw and be decisive!
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I’m hoping for an odd run for someone like in Roland Garros. At this point of the season though, I don’t even know who is odd anymore. We virtually know those who are capable and in some good form. So I think odd will be against the favourites that is, those likely to make the semi finals.
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