German tennis ace Sabine Lisicki recorded a straight set win over Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova to justify her top seeding by winning the inaugural WTA Hong Kong Open on Sunday.
Lisicki, who had endured a lean time on tour since losing the Wimbledon final to Marion Bartoli last year to tumble out of the world's top 30, beat Pliskova 7-5, 6-3 during an error-strewn match at Victoria Park.
The Czech third seed had seemed on course to avenge her second-round defeat to the German at Wimbledon this year when she raced into a 5-1 lead in the first set, breaking Lisicki's serve twice.
But Lisicki slowly got into her stride to spark a remarkable run in which she broke back twice to level at 5-5, Sport24 reported.
Pliskova again had chances to break as Lisicki faltered to 15-40 in the 11th game. But the Czech world number 36 couldn't take advantage.
Lisicki served out for her fifth game in a row and squandered one set point on Pliskova's serve in the next game, but a searing backhand crosscourt pass in the best rally of the match sealed the set 7-5.
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The first set capped an incredible run of six consecutive games for the world number 31. Lisicki made it seven on the trot by holding serve to open the second set, but Pliskova finally got back on the scoreboard with a service hold of her own.
When Lisicki broke again and strode out to a 4-2 lead the match looked all but over. Pliskova fought back from 40-30 to break while Lisicki double-faulted for the seventh time in the match.
However, Pliskova was immediately broken again and Lisicki served out to seal the match, the report added.