The last quarter of the tennis season is usually a time where the world’s top players are fighting it out to secure a place at the extravagant WTA Finals. However, Karolina Pliskova is one of the lucky ones who has already sealed a spot in the event.
The 27-year-old enters the Asian swing of the tour with a win-loss record of 49-13 (including the Fed Cup) this year. During that period, she has won titles in Brisbane, Rome, Eastbourne and Zhengzhou. Making it her best-ever season on the WTA Tour in terms of trophies won. In the majors her best run was to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
Technically, Pliskova could not win another match for the rest of the year and still play at the WTA Finals, which has moved to the Chinese city of Shenzhen for the first time. However, she has no intention of doing that. She is seeded second in this week’s Wuhan Open. A tournament where she has reached the quarter-finals in two out of the past four years.
“I think the pressure kind of helped me to stay close and play just good tennis because I won the title in Tokyo because I kind of had to, because otherwise I would not qualify.” wtatennis.com quoted the world No.2 as saying.
“So let’s see without the pressure if I can do also good or maybe better than last year. Last year actually these two tournaments were quite tough for me. I didn’t play well. Of course, I feel totally relaxed now. There is nothing I would be stressed about. Shenzhen was my goal, and I’m there.”
Leading up to Wuhan, Pliskova stopped off in Korea. Playing in the doubles tournament alongside her twin sister Kristyna. A former world No.4 junior player who is yet to crack the top 50 on the professional tour. It was at the event where Pliskova also acted as a coach for Kristyna in the singles competition where she lost in the second round.
“It was quite fun. Korea was nice. I won there, I think five or six years ago.” She said. “I hadn’t gone back since I won. It was nice just to be there a couple of days. My father was there with Kristyna. I did this coaching, so at least I did something different. It didn’t help much.”
Pliskova will not have an easy start to her Wuhan campaign on Tuesday. Awaiting her will be Amanda Anisimova, who reached the semi-finals of the French Open in June. Anisimova edged out Sam Stosur in the first round in what was her first competitive match since the death of her father.
“I’m really happy to be back… I’m just focusing on having fun this tournament. I really don’t have any expectations for myself,” the 18-year-old told reporters on Monday.
Only once this year has Pliskova lost her opening match at a tournament. That was back in April at the Stuttgart Open in Germany.
