Published : Sept. 23, 2012 - 15:53
(Yonhap News)
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark captured the KDB Korea Open tennis title here Sunday after earning a lopsided victory over third-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.
Wozniacki, the world's 11th-ranked player, pounded Kanepi 6-1, 6-0 in just 62 minutes to claim the only Women's Tennis Association (WTA) event in South Korea each fall. Wozniacki took home US$112,300 for her 19th career WTA victory, which was her first since August of last year.
Wozniacki set the tone early, breaking Kanepi twice in the first four games to jump out to a 4-0 lead in just 16 minutes. Up 4-1, Wozniacki saved two break points and battled Kanepi to multiple deuces before taking a 5-1 lead. She won the first frame in 36 minutes.
It was much the same story in the second set, with the Dane mixing in sharp cross-court winners with lasers down the line, and keeping the helpless Kanepi busy running along the baseline.
Wozniacki dropped only one set in five matches she played here en route to the championship.
Wozniacki joins Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams as former No. 1 players who have won the Korea Open. The 22-year-old Dane ended the 2010 and 2011 seasons as the No. 1 player in the world.
This was Wozniacki's third appearance at the Korea Open. She was eliminated from the first round in 2006 and 2007.
The Korea Open started in 2004, and the total purse was raised from $220,000 to $500,000 this year. (Yonhap News)