Champion in Cluj: Former World No.1 Karolina PLISKOVA conquers Transylvania Open with first title since 2020

With ranking points falling off for fun, Karolina Pliskova had to do something to stop her slide and she did just that with a first title since 2020 at the Transylvania Open defeating Ana Bogdan in the final 6-4, 6-3 after a perfect week for the former World No.1.

It is a first title in over four years and a 17th overall as she gets the confidence boost she needs. A win over the eighth seed and home hope in just one hour and 25 minutes, she follows Tamara Korpatsch last year in spoiling the home party.

Coming into this week, she had not reached a WTA singles final since August of 2021 where she finished runner-up in Montreal to Camila Giorgi. She was still inside the top 20 this time last year and was an ever present for a long time but with injuries and also not being able to sustain form, she was unseeded and World No.78 going into this week.

She eased into the final though showing her class without losing a set. She had a 3-0 Head to Head record against Bogdan going into the final and it showed as she took her chances when it mattered to claim the title. This after Bogdan started the match brighter, she went 3-0 up. But Pliskova's surge was just around the corner as she made it 3-2. She saved two break points from there and had a fifth of her own to serve for the set at 5-4 which she narrowly took.

She kept control in the second breaking Bogdan twice and exerting her dominance never facing a break point. She converted her second championship point and in the end won 29 of 37 first service points in the match showing the true dominance of the display. Welcome back to the winners' circle Karolina.