Pliskova eases past champion Wozniacki

Karolina Pliskova issued a warning to her opponents at the WTA Finals with a convincing straight-sets victory against defending champion Caroline Wozniacki.

The easy 6-2, 6-4 triumph in Singapore was sweet revenge for the dynamic 26-year-old, who lost to Wozniacki in the semis at last year’s WTA Finals.

Pliskova had strapping on her lower right leg but moved well against the sluggish second seed.

The hard-hitting Czech was not broken on serve for the entire match and fittingly closed it out with an ace.

“I felt good from the baseline and it was not all about my serve,” Pliskova said after the match.

“She started a bit nervous in the beginning, it’s always tough to defend a title.”

The world number eight stunned Wozniacki with a brilliant first set highlighted by trademark booming ground strokes.

The one-way traffic continued in the second set with Pliskova breaking immediately, saving three break points in the next game to the frustration of her opponent.

Earlier, a determined Elina Svitolina ended her long-time jinx against former Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova, cruising to a straight sets win.

The world number six triumphed 6-3, 6-3 in just 89 minutes in the tournament opener, easily overcoming a lacklustre Kvitova, who had 29 unforced errors and seven double faults.

Svitolina had won just one set in seven straight harrowing defeats to the Czech but impressively turned the tables.