Pliskova battles back to beat Muguruza

Karolina Pliskova came out on top at the WTA finals in Mexico against Garbine Muguruza, but she was made to gift for the victory, eventually winning 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in a match that lasted two hours and 26 minutes.

The Wimbledon runner-up says she can now relax a bit after the win, but knows she will have to ready for more tight matches – in this edition of the finals literally anyone can win.

Muguruza found her rhythm early to take control and see out the first set before Pliskova raced to a 2-0 lead, and hung in to take the second.

The deciding third set was a tight, with both players taking breaks of serve before a tie-break, was won by Pliskova 8-6.

“Honestly I think it’s huge because, of course, you can relax a bit more,” Pliskova said afterwards.

“If I just lose this match tonight, I think I’m gone because it was big, having couple match points, breakpoints there, I was so close to making it even before the tiebreak. Then, of course, I was quite close to also losing it.”

Despite the loss, Muguruza says she is confident she can get back to winning ways.

“That was a very tough match for both of us,” she said.

“I think it was actually one point the difference because we reached the tiebreak and I saved many match points. Man, that was a painful loss definitely.

“I fought as hard as I could. At the end it was just one point difference.

“I’m actually proud of the match I played due to the circumstances. I loved the crowd. Even though I suffered during this match, I also felt very energised and motivated to play in Mexico.”

Pliskova joins Anett Kontaveit at the top of the Teotihuacán group, after the Estonian beat Barbora Krejcikova.