Yanina Wickmayer won the Japan Women’s Open title beating Magda Linette in three roller coaster sets: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Wickmayer fought her way back after being down a set and a break. This is her first WTA title since Auckland in January of 2010 and her fourth overall. This was Linette’s first WTA tour level final.
Linette, from Poland, began the match completely opposite of the way she started her semifinal encounter vs. Christina McHale. In the final, there were few signs of nerves with only one double fault in the first set, which came as she was serving for the set. The Pole, who is currently ranked 84, seemed composed for the most part and started aggressively, attacking Wickmayer’s second serve. She was able to convert three of six break point opportunities. She was also helped by quite a few errors from Wickmayer. The two traded breaks throughout the set, but Linette was able to hold her serve in the final game of the set, aided by a couple of wild errors from Wickmayer.
Wickmayer of Belgium, ranked 86, got off to slow start in the second set dropping the first two games. Her errors continued coupled with good defense and some aggressive hitting by Linette. Wickmayer was then able to up her level of play and won the next five games. Her serving improved and she pressured her opponent’s serve winning 71% of second serve return points. The only break point Wickmayer faced in the set was in the first game. Linette fought hard to stay in the set saving three of four break points in the sixth game. However, she was not able to answer Wickmayer’s improved groundstrokes and serving. Wickmayer’s first serve percentage improved from 55% in first set to 76% in the second.
The third set opened with another break of serve by Wickmayer as Linette narrowly missed a few attempted winners. The Belgian broke Linette’s serve again in the 5th game to go up 4-1 aided by nice ground stokes by Wickmayer and a double fault by Linette. The Pole fought to get the set to 5-3 but lost serve at love in the final game of the tournament.
Wickmayer was thrilled to be holding a trophy again after fighting Lyme disease in 2014 and back injuries from 2011 through 2013.
The results of this tournament should boost both players’ confidence going forward and improve their ranking. Coincidentally, Wickmayer and Linette will face each other in the first round in the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in China, most likely on Tuesday.
Next Up
The WTA Asian swing continues next week with three tournaments:
In addition to Wickmayer and Linette, the Guangzhou International Women’s Open player list will include Simona Halep, Andrea Petkovic, Sara Errani and Jelena Jankovic. (This is an International event worth 280 ranking points.)
The Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo features Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber, Carla Suarez Navarro, Agnieszka Radwanska and Belinda Bencic. (This is a Premier event with 470 ranking points at stake.)
The Tokyo International semifinalists, Christina McHale and Ajla Tomljanovic, will join Irina-Camelia Begu, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Sloane Stephens at the Korea Open Tennis. (This is an International event worth 280 ranking points.)
