Pliskova wins fourth title of 2019 in rain-hit final

BEIJING: World number two Karolina Pliskova claimed her fourth title of the year as she defeated Petra Martic in a rain-disrupted final at the inaugural Zhengzhou Open on Sunday.

The final was delayed for six hours and then interrupted twice by heavy rain in central China, before finally taking place under floodlights.

The Czech top seed overcame a slow start and handled the disruption better to ease to a 6-3, 6-2 win over the seventh seed from Croatia.

"Of course all the day of waiting here today, also in the week, the weather was not perfect," said the 27-year-old Pliskova.

"But somehow I managed, even the break which we had when it was 2-0, I think it helped me just to stay calm."

Victory puts Pliskova closer to world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia, but the Czech remains a way behind and said usurping her was "not my goal for now".

"My goal is to play well, which I´m trying to play. So that´s my goal for now and to enjoy and to don´t really stress about results," she said.