Italian underdog Camila Giorgi upset fourth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 7-5 on Sunday to win the biggest title of her career at the WTA hardcourt event here.
The World No. 71 completed a 2021 hat-trick of victories over the sixth-ranked Czech, who has now lost three finals this season.
“I was very emotional inside,” Giorgi said. “Of course, I’m not the one that shows a lot. It’s just amazing.”
Wimbledon finalist and Rome runner-up Pliskova had no answer for the inspired shotmaking of Giorgi, who also defeated Pliskova in the first round at Eastbourne and in the third round at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Czech had won 12 of her past 14 matches coming into the final. But Giorgi’s seven aces, and four service breaks, were enough to again overcome Pliskova.
