Karolina Pliskova keeps Angelique Kerber from top spot with Cincinnati final win
ByPA Sport
Published 21/08/2016 at 21:52 GMT
Angelique Kerber missed the chance to end Serena Williams' long reign as world number one after suffering a surprise straight-sets defeat to Karolina Pliskova in the final of the Western & Southern Open.
Angelique Kerber was unable to get the win that would have sent her top of the world rankings
Image credit: PA Sport
A victory in Cincinnati on Sunday would have seen Kerber climb to the top of the WTA world rankings, replacing Williams who has held that spot for 183 successive weeks.
However, despite winning four of her previous six meetings with the Pliskova, the 28-year-old German could not see off the challenge of the Czech 15th seed, who claimed a 6-3 6-1 win.
Pliskova, 24, paid tribute to Kerber after clinching her sixth WTA singles title: "Angie's had an amazing week and has done a great job all year.
"I know she was playing for the world number one, so I think you deserve to be number one, but maybe next time."
Australian Open champion Kerber was broken five times in the final and made 32 unforced errors - twice the amount of her opponent.
Kerber, runner-up here in 2012, said on BT Sport: "I would like to say congrats to Karolina, you played an amazing week and today you played really well so you really deserve to win.
"It's a really great tournament and I love coming back here for my second final."
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