Final Tennis: Eastbourne

Eastbourne. For one week year, it really is ten essential. Since the

mid-70s, some of the greatest names in the sports have been here and won

here, but this year, the tournament has exceeded itself. This really has

been Wimbledon by the sea. The top three players in the world, eight of

the top ten, the world number one ranking state, Grand Slam winners.

It has been a dramatic week played out amongst magnificent crowds who

for the most part have enjoyed some Sussex sunshine. But it was the

reign of Tuesday that created the Thursday of drama and mayhem.

Everyone, all the top players, had to play twice. And for some, like

Simona Halep, it was too much. But for others like Johanna Konta and

Heather Watson, it was a day to remember. Four victories between

them, Hunter beating French Open champion Yelena Arzhakova, and then

Angelique Kerber. But at a cost. COMMENTATOR: That didn't look good.

She went down hard. Yesterday, Jo pulled out of her

semifinal. I haven't been diagnosed with concussion yet, but what

prevented me playing was the pain through my spine. But she goes to

Wimbledon in buoyant form, as does Watson, four wins in a row before

succumbing to Caroline Wozniacki. I got some great wins under my belt

this week, so I'm feeling confident going into next week. This time

yesterday, we were hoping for at least one British finalist. Our

first since Virginia Wade 41 years ago. What we have is a sparkling

former champion and a be world number one. For tennis fans, a week

by the seaside takes some beating. We started on Sunday, and here we

are on Saturday at the culmination of this great event with a final

between the third and sixth seeds, Karolina Pliskova and Caroline

Wozniacki, and that is the trophy that they are playing for. One thing

you can say about the last seven days is it has shown the women's

gamers its very best. Sometimes unpredictable, sometimes random,

somebody who has been here for the whole week is former British 11 Sam

Smith. It has been a really good week, but it has shown what immense

strength in depth there is in a game at the moment. Yes, and the top

players struggling to deal with it, but what has been so important is

the field here, and the top players, the penny has dropped, this is not a

warm up event, look at the Grand Slam winners on this trophy. You

want to win, and that gives you a great chance at Wimbledon. And with

the men back here this year, and Novak Djokovic playing, this

tournament has the feel of an event that is going places. Yes, they are

investing so much more money in it with the local council and the LTA,

44 million, improved player facilities, and it is all

word-of-mouth with the players. Liars who were not here will hear

about it, the facilities were great, the food was great, the attendance

is extraordinary, there are hundreds of people who have come in on a

grandpas, and we were swimming this morning and chatting about this, how

close you get to the players in a very relaxed atmosphere, it is

almost eight unique experience now. Is it almost too close to Wimbledon?

With the players like a bit of a break? Or does it really get you

match sharp? I am of the view that you should get yourself match sharp.

I don't think you can late enough tennis the week before Wimbledon.

Grasses are little easier on the body, maybe for the men playing best

of five, they might feel it. The women have played two matches in one

day and that didn't take a lot out of them, and we have to finalist

here ready to go. Our stadium announcer here today is Matt

Chilton, and he is about to introduce the two finalists.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to welcome the players on to court for

the Ladies' Singles final. First of all please welcome, representing

Denmark, Caroline Wozniacki! CHEERING

And her opponent, representing the Czech Republic, Karolina Pliskova.

CHEERING And the players are accompanied by

our mascot and future stars.

Matt talking about the 13-year-old British tennis players who may in

years to come be playing here at Devonshire Park, and while the

preliminaries are gone through, it gives us the opportunity to talk

about Britain's walking wounded, our top players who are not in the best

of shape, Jo Konta pulled out of her semifinal at the start of the

programme, and it was an unbelievably heavy fall that she

took. Who is to say how fit she can possibly be for her first match on

Monday? Only she knows. The problem with the fall is that it happened so

quickly, her foot went from under her. She didn't have a chance to put

her hands down, and she took the full force on her back, and at the

time, I couldn't believe that she got up and played a couple more

points. Interesting piece in the Daily Telegraph today about the

sports physio talking about thoracic spine injuries said the chances of

her being 100% fit on Monday were very slim, and if she was to play

when she wasn't right, she risks the recovery process in the weeks to

come, so she will have people advising her about that and she will

know what to do and what not to do. It is very tough, a back injury is

unexpected, and what this sport can throw at you, I have had a lot of

recent experience of backs, and when she went down, I thought, this is

serious. I don't know if she will be fit on Monday. Caroline Wozniacki

has won the toss, and while the photos take place with the two

players and the two mascots, we ought to talk about Andy Murray,

because when you talk about tennis, you always talk about Andy Murray in

this country, and it is very interesting that the bookmakers over

the last 48 hours, his odds are lengthening almost by the hour. He

was joint favourite with Roger Federer last weekend, and is now out

to 7/1 to win Wimbledon over the next fortnight. These are pictures

from a couple of hours ago, and you can read into pictures like this

whatever you want to. Has he got Olimpa? Is he favouring the hip? The

obvious thing to say is he hasn't played a competitive match for 11

days, and he is going to have to play himself in over the course of

the next two weeks. And when you think about the strength and depth

in men's tennis, and it is like playing yourself in if you are a

little rusty and you haven't played matches, he is not going to be 100%

fit even if he does play on Monday. What he is doing, he is a champion

and has played injured many times before and we haven't known about

it. He will give himself to the very last hour to get himself on court.

If you need reminding, Wimbledon starts on Monday, it is across all

platforms on the BBC. But let's focus on this match now, and

Caroline Wozniacki was the number six seed nine years ago, or eight

years ago, 2009, when she won this tournament, and that is her path

through to this final eight years on. That includes the real ding-dong

semifinal with Heather Watson which lasted well over two hours. I played

for a long time, and Heather is a great player, and we know each other

well. Huge momentum swings in that match, you are completely in control

in the first set and then it slipped away from you in the second. When

you sit down at the umpire's chair at one set all, what are you

thinking? Just to keep going, try to switch the momentum and keep your

own serve, that is the most important thing, and I was just

thinking to try and push her back a little bit, because she was starting

to dictate a little bit too much. And her game is suited to grass, big

serving, big striking player. How'd you combat that? It will be a tough

match tomorrow. She obviously has strong ground strokes and serves

well. It is important to make her move, and if I can do that, I feel

like the momentum may switch to me. Have you exceeded your expectations

here this week? I feel like I always play well here. I have made the

semifinals almost every time I have played here. The last year I did

quarters. But I love playing on grass, it is one of my favourite

services, so I always think I can win. Perhaps the most remarkable

fact about Caroline Wozniacki, this is her 46th major final, which

really does show her longevity, durability, competitiveness and. And

her experience, and this week is a proper test, we have had rain, wind,

we have had to double up on matches. When everyone else wants to pack up

and go home, she just rolls up her sleeves and gets on with it, and

that is why she's in this final. Her opponent is bidding to become the

first country Czech winner for many years. This is how she remembers her

tournament. It was not an easy final, it was our first meeting, so

it was just tough, a tough battle, and I was a little bit sad that I

didn't make it, so I am happy that I have another chance this year. You

have had an extraordinary 12 months, you could be world number one in a

couple of weeks. How much of that is a carrot that you are looking at?

Not much, it has been the same for the last one month, there is a lot

of things happening, a lot of changes, and in every tournament,

everyone has the chance to go and show some good results, so it is a

different situation than it was before. She was still number one

with nobody else having the chance to beat her, but I am going to try

to get it, but if I don't get there, I am all right with that. When you

read about people and their hobbies, a lot of people will write shopping,

listening to music, going out with friends. I notice you have carp

fishing. Is that true? It is true, but there isn't much time for it as

I would like to have the time, because you are always on tour, so

it is just tough to find the time for this, because you really need a

day off and to go somewhere into nature, so that is what I don't have

right now, but maybe once I stopped playing tennis I will get back to

it. And one other thing I must ask you about. That little bit of rag on

your tennis racket that is always there when you are always playing.

What is that about? I have it on all my rackets. It is a little bit of a

white grip, and I have it a lot. And I always have it. And is that

because you had it once before many years ago, and you won, so you

thought you would keep it? Yes, it started when I was really little, so

my father was streaming rackets for us, so he always put this little

thing there, so I just keep it. Pliskova sat down very early after

completing her warm up, Caroline Wozniacki has left the court for a

moment. Sam, is this a long match, do you think? I think it has to be.

Historically they play for quite awhile, the reason for that is

Karolina Pliskova, I will get my Karolina and Caroline mixed up in

commentary! You have an out and out striker mixed up with one of the

best serves in the game, and also one of the best defenders on tour.

But also an aggressive defending counterpuncher, so it is whether

Pliskova can keep on hitting win after win, and that is tough to do

into sets consecutively and be clean about it. And given we saw Jo Konta

falling, and Gael Monfils went a hurdler last night in his semifinal

against Richard Gasquet, how important is movement on a course

like this? It is everything, think back to Martina Navratilova, she

didn't step on the court, she danced across it. Think of Federer, little

tiny steps are required. Caroline plays like that, but Karolina may

take a tumble because it still feels quite moist. As this tournament

grows yearly, and with all the fantastic developments Sam was

talking about, we are delighted to confirm that the BBC has extended

its agreement to cover this event, so with recent extensions with both

Queen's and Wimbledon, the BBC is still the place to watch the very

best of the British grass court season, and this is one more match

to show you before hopefully Andy Murray walks out onto Centre Court

on Monday as defending champion. So while Wozniacki just goes through a

couple of last service warm-ups, I will hand you up to the commentary

box. Thank you, John. Good afternoon

everyone, and with Wimbledon just around the corner, this is a

heavyweight clash. In your picture you have the 2009 Eastbourne

champion, her 46th final. She has 25 titles from those 46 finals, and is

currently the sixth best player in the world. The umpire has a problem

with his microphone, he has a deep voice as it is, and he needs a

microphone that works so Karolina is just asking what is going on. She is

a very relaxed character, some say a little too relaxed. The problem is

fixed, and we are under way, and back we go. Last year's beaten

finalist, should she lift the title, she will be in touching distance of

the world number one ranking. So here we go, the Eastbourne final.

Cool, breezy conditions. Caroline Wozniacki to get us under way.

It is the sixth meeting between these two, all of their previous

encounters have been on the hard court but it is their third meeting

this year. They first came across each other in

2017 in the final in Gohar when Karolina Pliskova came through

comfortably. That would be another rain disrupted tournament. They met

in Miami more recently at the semifinal stage and that was a win

for the game, Wozniacki. -- a win for the Dane.

Maybe a taste of what is to come, 17 shot rally in the third point of

this final. Comfortable hold for Caroline

Wozniacki. She holds to love, she's on the board, that might settle any

nerves there might be there for Caroline Wozniacki. It is her fourth

final of the year, she's been playing fantastic tennis. This time

last year she was 36 in the rankings but she's been working hard in all

areas of her game, Doha, Dubai, Eastbourne, Miami, Pliskova already

has two titles in 2017. She beat Wozniacki in the final in Gohar.

This is her first final -- third final, she's looking for another

title. -- Doha. Expect big serving, a fair few aces.

Great play at this early stage from Karolina Pliskova, the first grass

court event for both players this year. Pliskova also has a grass

court title to her name, winning in Nottingham last year. The year

before that she got to the final in Birmingham. Her game is suited to

this surface, many would say, starting off with the big serve.

Lovely change-up from Karolina Pliskova brings up her first game

point of this final. We see a lot of those big serves

from the Czech player. I will be watching this final in the company

of Sam Smith, Sam has made her way up from courtside. Record time as

usual. Just about covering the ground! My calf muscles, I can't

tell you how tight they are! Sam, having been courtside, what are

the conditions like the players are facing today? They seem to have

changed from day to day. The wind is not bad, it's coming from a

north-westerly direction, from the direction of the South Downs, pretty

much the angle of the Pliskova forehand crosscourt. From the far

end, looking from left to right on your screen. But it drops

occasionally. I think today is going to be quite gusty. I'm not sure at

the moment, it has dropped at the moment, it is really a feature. The

court is quite decent, there is lots of moisture in the air and it is

super humid. That is some big hitting from the

world number three. The start is going to be some important out here.

What was really noticeable from the warm up was the energy and the

industry from Caroline Wozniacki and four Pliskova it was like it was her

first practice session. It was so lackadaisical. I'd be going mad if I

was her coach. And against this woman, you cannot

have slow motion starts against her. Caroline, we talked about injuries

this week, she is carrying a slight abdominal injury which can be awful.

She not going to be wanting to lose this first set.

Nine minutes played. That is a shot of the Wozniacki camp, including her

father, who is her hitting partner, Piotr Wozniacki, he's worked with

Azarenka and Serena Williams. We feel he has helped with the

Wozniacki game. Very macho as David Lee on the far left, full mail team

Caroline has got, she likes the company of men, very much, Caroline,

and likes all sports, football and likes all that. David Lee has been

travelling with the San Antonio Spurs, a big star back in the United

States. Very happy off the court and he is a top sportsmen as well. She

said he understands when she needs her space, when she's got to train,

and he's very good at carrying the racket bag. She's in a really good

place. Back to Sasha, when he was with Serena Williams, Serena

Williams won ten slams while with him in 80 years. And yet to start

with he was the hitting partner but he knows so much about all of the

women's games, he sat there in so many Grand Slam finals. Mostly what

he brings his energy, intensity, knowledge, and he is a wonderful

ball striker. He's going to hate me for saying this, he plays like a

very good woman. Heavier than air woman's ball, but not full of spin,

something he will be able to replicate, Pliskova ball home in

practice this morning. Oh! A little bit of luck and an

apology from Wozniacki. Wozniacki's job out here is to do what she

always does, make discover play one more ball but also if she has

something to attack, normally off the backhand wing, or the short

forehand, or even to get in sometimes, she will go for it.

Do you expect that to be a feature, David Kotyza share, Carol-Anne Day

Pliskova's coach, for her to come in more of the serve of Wozniacki?

Wozniacki loves a target. -- Karolina Pliskova's coach. Yesterday

when she didn't have to play against Johanna Konta, they spent most of

the practice session with Karolina at the net, they've been working on

her volleys. David was a pretty good player in the juniors, he is to

practice with Madrinho Navratilova in Prague and he was doing all the

hitting. -- Martina Navratilova. I like that because the coach can see

and feel how the ball is coming off their player.

It looks so effortless by Pliskova, great feel from the Czech player but

the net. We are not just talking about a great serve from Pliskova

and big ball striking from the back of the court, we are also talking

about the complete player in terms of soft hands, feel, likes to come

in. When she puts it together, she has to win slams. She is too good

not to. That will have been, when you have

an abdominal strain, which she does, and she is well taped up, that would

have been a little worrying, hitting that first smash, and immediately

looked over at her family. She did say in her press conference

last night that the only trouble with the serve was the reach up for

the overhead, but she thought it was manageable, and importantly for her,

would not affect her movement around the court, which she relies on. It

will be interesting to see how much she is hitting the serve, she might

take a few miles per hour off it. And with that, we have our first

break point, Karolina Pliskova stands at six foot one.

So, there is the break, taking advantage of the first break point,

and we are always wondering what these players like to do when they

are not playing tennis, it does take up 99% of the time, but you might be

surprised to know how Karolina Pliskova fills her free time when

she gets on. I think the biggest difference so far, is we have

different tattoos, so that is the biggest help you guys if we are not

in jackets and trousers. So otherwise she is a lefty, so she is

left, I am right, but otherwise you would have to see, I think we are a

little bit different with age, so hopefully people can finally know

which one is which. Are you friends and rivals as well? There is a

little bit of rivalry, but we are the biggest friends. And while she

does enjoy carp fishing, I think most of us will try a lot of time to

work out the difference between Krystina and Karolina. They are the

same tournaments, and they can practice, now they are both ranked

well in the world. Whoever wakes up first rings the other straightaway,

they are genuinely very close. And Karolina is two minute younger, and

you have to look at there that use if you want to tell the difference

between them if they don't have a racket in their hand, because

Krystina is left-handed. And there we have our first ace of

the final, that is Karolina Pliskova's 227th ace of 2017.

She is ahead of her sister in the aces chart by nine, which Kristyna

apparently is not happy about, and last year her total was 530, she hit

down 200 more than Serena Williams whose serve we spend a lot of time

talking about. Karolina Pliskova almost in the

blink of a night consolidates her first set break with a love hold to

go to 4-2. At the moment, Caroline playing guessing games about where

that delivery is coming to. Pliskova loves that out wide on the ad court,

and when she slips it down the T, it has got great disguise, and these

last couple of games have gone very quickly, big momentum swing for the

Czech out here. UMPIRE: Miss Wozniacki is

challenging the call on the right near sideline. The ball was called

in. And it was.

UMPIRE: The call stands. Miss Wozniacki has two challenges

remaining. She is a fearsome force when she

gets forward, Pliskova. She hasn't got too much of a Western grip, she

has a grip similar to Angelique Kerber, which is why she can fall

flat, but her timing is off the charts, and when it is good in a

match situation, the ball gets through the courts so quickly, and

Caroline is finding it very hard to stay upon the shot and not be pushed

back. I don't know for the Dane if there

is an opportunity to use a little more flight and try and push

Karolina back. But she can be pretty lethal even from a couple of metres

behind the baseline, but not as lethal as when she is inside the

court. Important hold the Caroline

Wozniacki. The first set of the Eastbourne

final. Here is her father. I will apologise on both Sam and my

behalf, unless she has brushed up on her Polish overnight, we cannot

translate that, but if you can, do let us know.

Beast of a serve from Karolina Pliskova. The ocean, it is just

devoid of any hitches, so fluid, but what could the serve you like if she

actually uses her legs? She barely drives up into it.

I am out in the other players don't want to find out, because it is

fearsome enough as it is. Karolina Pliskova has dropped just the five

points so far on serve this set. She is with in one game of taking this

set. She tends to hit inside out, and that is where Caroline is

covering, so if she is hitting that shot, not a natural shot, she is

feeling good Aaron Tier. -- out here.

I am sure before Piotr came on and there was a conflict. All Caroline

needs to think about is making first serves, doing pretty well, three

quarters of them in command getting Karolina on the move. She wants a

real street fight out here, an arm wrestle, to keep it within one break

she knows mentally that she has more than an edge over Pliskova in terms

of intensity and competitiveness, and application. There is no one

better than Caroline Wozniacki at grinding out results, 12 years on

the professional tour. Karolina Pliskova is one game away from the

first set. Sam, you could say the game of Wozniacki is suited to most

surfaces the way she plays, adapts and the way she uses, she might not

have any of the biggest shops in women's tennis but she grinds and

works and loves playing on this surface -- shots. Surprising this is

just the second grass court final of her career, the other one being here

when she won it in 2009. I think she struggles a little sometimes. The

service has improved over the last few years. She's not as proficient

at the net, not as proficient as Pliskova, and maybe sometimes with

the firepower forced you need out and out strikes to play well on the

surface, particularly because there are so many big hitters. Serena

Williams when she comes back, Azarenka, Muguruza, it's interesting

that we have a world number one at the moment in Angelique Kerber who

is an aggressive counterpuncher like Caroline. That is really against the

run of the trend of women's tennis. When you think we have had out and

out striker is being the best player in the world for many years now and

that's why Pliskova looks as if she is the number one in waiting, not

just in terms of ranking but game style as well. She does seem to have

it all and she is now serving for the first set. Just waiting for a

couple of gentlemen to take their seats right in the eyeliner of

Pliskova. And they are seated. And they are happy. There is another ace

which will make Karolina Pliskova happy, case number four, takes her

to within three points of the first set. -- ace number four.

How good is she going to be when she closes the net down? Only just over

the service lab has greyhounds. When I see her play like that I think of

all the great Czechs who have played, Navratilova,

and there it is, beautiful touch from Pliskova to wrap things up with

a loaf hold, hardly troubled on serve, Karolina Pliskova puts

herself one set away from the Eastbourne title. It might look like

it is not some because it is overcast and grey but I assure you

we have a great summer of sport here for you on the BBC.

MUSIC: California Soul by Marlena Shaw.

There is an awful lot to look forward to and hopefully at some

point the sun will come out. Because our Polish isn't great, and I don't

think it ever will be. That is an understatement, Gigi. Did you say

anything in Polish when you went there? No. We have some people who

understand the on court coaching. A couple of people tweeted saying,

when he came on earlier in that set, to serve to her body and in the

second serve to her backhand. Jules added, he told the player, also his

daughter, if she carries on as she is she will win and to slow things

down a little and not to rush. Happy with that team took? Very solid

advice. She served to Karolina in the way you serve to Serena

Williams, you don't get in the strike zone, you swing it into the

body if you possibly can and then use the one outweighed for a

surprise tactic. Where Caroline is serving is vital. I don't think she

has enough pop out here today and she is taking off a little because

she has to because of the injury and wanted to make first serves. She has

it all to do, Caroline Wozniacki, the world number six.

That did not feel out. I think she is going to leave it alone.

It is a daunting thing when you see 6-foot one inch Karolina Pliskova

charge the net. What I am sure you will get from

Wozniacki is complete application. At her level I doubt it would waver

much and what she is trying to have to do is take along and be constant

and hold serve. What she is waiting for is a little dip from Pliskova,

just a few loose ones here and there and she's ready to steam in.

Pliskova, although she is the out and out striker, won't worry too

much of that strategy against anyone she plays against because if you are

a striker it's all about you. She's gone hard and fast into the

Wozniacki forehand, and early, and that was a very good play indeed.

Good hold for Caroline Wozniacki. That's what she needs to do. She

needs to stay comfortable and hold on her serve, which she did. We have

to remember, we talk about the experience between these two,

Caroline Wozniacki was world number 14 67 weeks, going back to 2010. It

is levelled against her that she didn't win a Grand Slam but it

doesn't matter. She worked hard and got the results. We talk about the

tenacity, and holeable not going to drop off, that's highlighted by her

career. She doesn't get enough credit for what you have to do to

stay at the top of the world, huge experience. Not a bad set of numbers

for Wozniacki but struggling to land anything on Pliskova.

Charging forward whenever she can now, Pliskova. Just look here, she

is a little slow up to that, wasn't the best approached and she is

barely over the service line and made that a far more difficult

volley. She is pretty good technically and make that well but

she made it harder for herself. It is so nice to get so many easy

points would that serve. She is so relaxed, isn't she? Extraordinary.

She has certainly become more accurate. They are working on her

getting more first serves in. There is another one. And also, speaking

at the beginning of the year when he took over about making her greatest

weapon even more lethal and getting that first serve up from 52% to

nearly 60%, is the way to go, mentioned David Kotyza. I mean, look

at that game, tennis made easy. If you stepped away you would have

missed it because it was over that quickly. She has taken on a coach

who took Petra Kvitova to two Wimbledon titles, good move, we have

seen one or two improvements this year. He also spent quite a bit of

time consulting Caroline Wozniacki. It didn't last very long. No one

dayers. Except Sasha. He will be her longest serving team member at this

rate -- no one dayers. -- does. This forehand, this is one of her

favourite shots, it fades away, comes from the inside to the

outswinger path, so fast, gets right through the court, very little

Wozniacki can do, and they're closing in -- and there closing in.

That is very a neutral, I wonder if that ball just checked up, because

Caroline is always so good at getting her feet right up to the

shot. So good about being behind every single ball.

Good serve. Considering she was told to serve at the body, she is not

exactly going to orders out here! Fist bump towards her camp from

Caroline Wozniacki. At the top of the show, you heard

about Karolina Pliskova's carp fishing exploits when she gets the

chance, and I think it is worth having a listen in to Caroline

Wozniacki, because there is a certain Premier League team she

keeps a close eye on when she can. Liverpool is still my team, and I

support them and follow, and obviously watch all the games, or

most of their games. I think what the club whose -- what Jurgen Klopp

has done has been amazing, and it should be a good new season. In the

crazy world you live, one week here at the next week there, do you get

to see them play? I haven't been for a year and a half, so I would like

to go back. It is not the easiest place to get to, especially in our

off-season, it is always a puzzle, but I love going to Anfield and the

atmosphere is always incredible, and I definitely want to go back this

year. If you follow her on social media, she is a big, big Liverpool

fan. Are you a football fan? Indeed, West Ham. How did you feel about

your last season? OK, we stayed up. She used to play a lot of football

when she was younger, her brother was also a pro football in the

Danish second division. She likes to hang out with the lads.

The question now for Wozniacki is how to deal with the Discover game.

She hasn't really changed up her return position at all, and that is

worth certainly catching the eye line of Karolina. It is fairly

desperate times of Karolina is serving well.

The difficulty is, it is so accurate but it is also the disguise. She

does a lot with her hand at the very top and she seems to be able to just

switch like Serena Williams at the very last moment.

UMPIRE: Let, first service. So when you are Caroline and looking for

clues, I don't see any. She has been so good at the net, or

up at the service line today, Pliskova. She can say, I was great

today. Just on this forward, and there doesn't really close in on

that shot. Right now she's just toying with Wozniacki.

Back-to-back love holds for the Czech. Wozniacki unable to get

anything off this Pliskova serve right now. But she will have to she

is going to try to win her second Eastbourne title. When you win your

service games to love, and quickly as well, there is so much pressure

straight back on the opponent. Wozniacki fortunate to get out of

that last service game. She can't afford to go down an early break in

the second set. You can get a few freebies when the

ball bounces right on the line, it is not chalked any more, it is

nitrate or something, it just checks up, and very difficult to return.

Love holds for Wozniacki. And her father is making, charging across

court, so our Polish viewers, be on stand-by.

So it seems that forehand and backhand are the same in Polish as

they are in English, but aside from that, nothing, so do translate for

us. Sixth for the final, 282 for the

year. Every time, you start to think, I am

just starting to get into this service game, she just shuts the

door, and she is at such a high level, just keeping that first serve

percentage right up there. How's that, says Pliskova. A couple

of game points. She skipped the real Olympics last year to really work on

her conditioning and her footwork and her movement, which is the

weakest part of her game, and it really paid off, making the final of

the US Open. We haven't had our up-to-date Polish

translation, but one area I feel that Caroline has not exploited is

pulling Pliskova out wide. I know there are several ways of doing it,

but her foot pattern out there is very restricted, and that is where

you can get a wee Kszczot. -- a weaker shot.

Clever play by Wozniacki. Gives herself a chance, bring the score on

the Pliskova serve to deuce. She would love to use the front of the

court a little more, she was lucky not to get buried by that shot, but

when the ball is coming at you and coming through at you so low and

hard, it is hard to have the time to use your hand, which she can do on

the backhand side, just to drop the ball short and low.

But it is so disheartening, you put together a great point, and then

bang, the next point is over. Who does that remind you of? Serena

Williams. Just slams the door shut. And on quick surfaces where she has

won this year, Brisbane and Doha, it has often been the critical shot.

There, just watch technically how she moves. She steps across herself,

getting a terrible tangle, takes a big lunge, and just keep an eye on

this. She can't get back from there, the way she moves, so it is a shot

to nothing. The first double fault from Pliskova

brings up a second break point of this final, and a first Caroline

Wozniacki. But the door is slams shut again.

They have all the data now on serving patterns of those top

players, Wozniacki uses it a lot, and at break point down, I talked

about it earlier, out wide in the ad court is her go to serve, and that

was not being covered. They have been on Court One minute

under the how and there is a little mental lapse here.

Another opportunity for Wozniacki to break the serve of Karolina

Pliskova. It's a tough thing to do but it is possible. The team watch

on. They hope, they wait. That was such a smart play from

Pliskova, she went with the T server when most of the time she goes out

wide, Caroline was covering a lot more and had to go T, good work from

the Dane. Very aggressive on return of serve,

Wozniacki. She gives herself a third opportunity to break the Pliskova

serve. Another opportunity goes begging for

Wozniacki. Her weaker side, she's worked on it a lot, she hit a

forehand well but it was all arm there. She over rotated and had

nothing to play with and got very locked up. That's the old naughty

forehand we swore a lot early on in her career.

She did everything right, Pliskova, apart from the final execution. Her

natural shot is to go inside out to the Wozniacki backhand, but she

knows that Wozniacki is covering that, so she knows she had to go

inside in, which she is not as comfortable in.

Absolutely nothing you can do about that. So after saving four break

points, an opportunity for Pliskova to hold serve, level things up.

L look over to her camp from Karolina Pliskova, got herself out

of a spot of bother. It means we are locked 3-3 in this set. Now, would

you like some Polish translations while Karolina Pliskova gets herself

a new racket? Lucas got involved in the discussion and she said she

tosses the ball and switches to backhand. Jules said, hold your

ground, get up to the net and force errors. Disrupt the Pliskova serve.

How do you disrupt the Pliskova serve? Pliskova did very well there

because it was with the old balls and Caroline knew it was her chance,

now with the new balls it will be hard to break Pliskova in the next

few games. She has just lost a little intensity

in her feet and that is worth keeping an eye on. These seagulls

are smart, they waited for all of the fans to sit in their seats,

waited until lunchtime and a few fans getting a few snacks out and

they are on it, aren't they? They are on a mission to find anyone who

has opened a packet. Kayden Mooney has asked the seagulls to be quiet.

I'm not sure how well that will go -- Kader Nouni. I think it worked,

bizarrely. Well done Kader Nouni. It's the first case of the final for

Wozniacki. -- the first ace. Once more Wozniacki edges ahead in

set two. Now, Sam, I think if you are very

excited about Eastbourne but now starting to get excited about

Wimbledon, it starts on Monday, we should take a look at the

prospective routes to the final 42-macro contenders for the title,

starting with Karolina Pliskova, after a second-round exit last year

she doesn't have an awful lot of points to defend. May be in her mind

she could end the fortnight as the new world number one. If she wins

here, and there is still quite a lot of tennis in this final, she will be

the favourite. I like her early rounds, I must say. Two thirds of

those names will not be there, I'd be very surprised. There is a couple

of players in the bottom section as well, this is our idea of who she

might play, who I think I'll very difficult. Mladenovic, who just made

the semifinals of the French Open and has been playing so well this

year, won in Indian Wells. Also Coco Vandeweghe, a quarterfinalist at

Wimbledon a couple of years ago. If those two get on a hot streak they

will be a problem for anyone. A quick look at Wozniacki? We will

look at that a little later. She is also in the bottom section so it

would pretty much apart from the early rounds, fairly similar

opponents. The latter rounds would have been the same. Mladenovic along

with Svitolina have the most match wins on tour this year with 36 and

whoever wins this final will join them.

The difference between this set and the last one is Karolina Pliskova

was making fewer forehand errors and not serving quite as well.

And better from Wozniacki, she had those four break opportunities in

the previous Pliskova service game. Look how she resets, she knows that

was a way to build pressure, she puts it right behind her and she is

doing a nice job of extending some of these rallies, making Pliskova

play one more ball. UMPIRE: Miss Wozniacki is

challenging the call on the far side line.

And there it is, it was, Hawk-Eye tells us.

Miss Wozniacki has two challenges remaining.

Just too big and too good from the Czech player.

Come on, Caroline! Come on, Karolina Gluck smack who let him in?

It tells you a lot she didn't want to take on the forehand, she's had

problems in the second set, a couple of key moments when she has

completely stopped the racket head and went back to the old forehand.

Frustration from Caroline Wozniacki, because she has handed effectively

triple match point to Karolina Pliskova. She only needed one break

point for the first set, now she has three.

First serve required. It is so unusual to see Caroline even play

two lose points, let alone three. It might have been a little mental

tiredness, it has been a long week. She spoke of playing eight sets of

tennis in a day and a half. It has been a lot. Sometimes however fit

and strong you are, it catches up. Exquisite from Pliskova. It is

effectively a championship point for the Czech player. She is a game away

from her first Eastbourne title. I think the thing with Pliskova today,

and you that tonight, she has been on it from the start. Sometimes she

can drift off or take a while to get going, but it seems to us that she

has been firing from the start. I'm sure she has had a big pep talk

about that. I looked at the practice, the warm up between the

two, I don't know why we have warm-ups any more these days, but

that is another... She was so lackadaisical, and Wozniacki was

like the Energizer Bunny out there. I was a little worried, I had to

say, at the start, but then broke in the fifth game and got ahead, and

you could see the reaction from Wozniacki when she initially went

those three break points down, you are under so much pressure because

it is so tough to break Pliskova, although having said that she has

been broken six times this week in three matches. She is breakable, but

when she is on it, and she will be very focused here against Wozniacki,

because I'm sure she has been warned she can't slip up, you have to

maintain your application and concentration.

Karolina Pliskova, the world number three, serving for the Eastbourne

title. That is a pretty good way to start

things off, with your ninth ace of the final.

And really, this time, in a blink of an eye, we have three championship

points per Karolina Pliskova, finalist here last year, looking to

go one better, on the verge of it. Championship point number one.

Wozniacki will go down fighting. This was a rather nervy second

serve. Now it is going to be the big guest. Where does Pliskova go? She

has been going down the T point a lot on the big points.

And there it is, your Eastbourne champion, 2017, the world and of the

three, Karolina Pliskova. Straight sets victory.

A third title from three finals for the world number three. In terms of

rankings, it moves to within 180 points of the world 11 spot. Nice

appreciation there are Caroline Wozniacki. Her coach must be a happy

man, I think she is going to go over and see them now to say thank you.

Yes, one break per set, there are very few players in the world that

can hit enough winners against Caroline Wozniacki to defeat her in

straight sets, that was superb. There was a little wobble in the

middle of the second set, came through that and she now will be

installed as the favourite for Wimbledon.

Karolina Pliskova only really made her Grand Slam breakthrough last

year, she hadn't made it deep into these tournaments, went out in the

second round last year, but she has got through that now. Quarterfinal

in Australia, semifinal in a surface she says she doesn't really like,

clay at Roland Garros, and now surely she goes in with the form of

the players around her as the one to beat. It doesn't mean anything in

women's tennis these days just to add that little caveat, but she is

becoming a serial winner these days, much tougher mentally, physically

stronger, and again, it is made from grass. We are looking at another

Petra Kvitova, an? It really was an impressive week for

Karolina Pliskova. Now Caroline Wozniacki, her fourth final of the

year, it is her fourth runners-up rise, but she, too, has been a

fantastic form, sixth in the world, and she has the chance of ending

Wimbledon as world number one, but she needs a lot of things to happen,

but she is one of the five players. I wonder how many of those she has

somewhere. Well, she has the set she won the

title here in 2009, this is her second grass court final in her 12

years on tour, and she has had to settle for second place out here

against Karolina Pliskova. It has been a good week for Caroline

Wozniacki. Our winner, our champion for 2017, Karolina Pliskova! And

what a year she is having, sitting at world number three, hovering over

that top spot. Not many points to defend at Wimbledon, three finals,

three titles, everything's looking good for Discover at the moment. --

for Pliskova at the moment. She has an even bigger bottle of champagne

to deal with. And very shortly she will be lifting the trophy. She

could only look at it last year, Dominika Cibulkova lifted it, but

this year it is hers. She will also receive a cheque for

?140,400. Huge congratulations. Her team are happy, and so they should

be. Here we go again, take two.

Caroline, a good week, so many sets of tennis in the last few days, but

did you run out of petrol almost? No, actually I thought I played

really well, and I did very good today. Karolina played better than

me today, definitely with the Serbs. I had trouble getting a lot of

returns back, but I thought we played some great tennis, both of

us, and obviously it is great preparation for Wimbledon.

APPLAUSE I don't know if you keep a tally of

these things. It is your 46th final on the tour today, which is a

staggering total, very few players have got close to that. Does the

fire still burns within after 12 years on the tour? Definitely, this

is my fourth final of the year, and fourth loss in the finals, so

obviously I would have loved to have won today, but I guess the fifth

time is the charm, as they say. From now on!

And you have mentioned Wimbledon. I assume you are heading to London

today. You are one of those people who has looked at the potential draw

already, or have you almost no idea who you are playing in the first

round? I never look at drawers. It was impossible to know, because I

know my first round opponent, but other than that, I don't really look

ahead. We wish you the best of luck, and congratulations on a very good

week here at Eastbourne. And Karolina, if I could bring you in,

our new champion. We spoke on this court 12 months ago with you as the

run-up, so how much better does this feel? Yes, this year I was hoping I

could just go one step forward and get the trophy, and that is what I

did, I am so happy. Caroline mentioned the serve. How much you

feel at home on grass? I feel quite OK on grass, like I said before I'm

still waiting for a good result Wimbledon, but I was playing well

here last year, so I think the service is definitely my biggest

weapon, and if it is working then it is really a trouble for the

opponents. The last Czech player to win here was... ? I have to know

this! I have to tell you, Yana Novotna in 1998, and what did she do

after she won here? She won Wimbledon! . She did. Yes, I had a

day off, I am just going to try to go step-by-step, and hopefully try

to go on. There are so many famous names on the trophy, Novotna,

Navratilova, Williams. And now your name will be added. Karolina

Pliskova! Now we will have the requisite

photos with both finalists who look very relaxed in each other's company

and shortly Caroline Wozniacki will make way and Karolina Pliskova will

parade the trophy around Centre Court. Comfortable out there today,

one hour 21, 6-4, 6-4, had to save four break points in the second set,

Pliskova, but apart from that looked pretty strong, and has done in all

aspects of her game coming through this tournament. Nice to see both of

them smiling, and what perfect preparation ahead of Wimbledon that

starts on Monday. They are projected, if everything goes to

seeding plan, to meet in the quarterfinals and this was their

first meeting on the grass. A lot more work to do for Karolina

Pliskova, there will be a round of photos, and a round of press

interviews, but nice to see them both smiling, nice to see the sun,

I'm sure I can see some sunshine on Centre Court. If you like your

tennis, it does not stop any time soon because you have no time to

rest with Wimbledon just a day away. Cannot wait for Wimbledon to start.

Is this woman in your picture going to be lifting the Wimbledon title?

John mentioned in the interview that Jana Novotna, the last Czech player

to win this title, went on to win the Wimbledon title that year and

surely Karolina Pliskova after this showing is a favourite to win this

title. Having just had a little glimpse of what is to come from

Wimbledon I think we should take a short trip down Wembley -- memory

lane because Virginia Wade lifted the title. COMMENTATOR: Yes! She's

done it! It was quite a fairy tale in many

ways. Wimbledon has taken up so much of my

life one way and another. I mean, it's been the highlight of every

year since I was 15 years old and it still is and you arrange your whole

schedule around Wimbledon. COMMENTATOR: That's it. I played so

many times and every time you look forward to it and virtually every

time you're disappointed. That was a very big year for the Queen and for

Britain. Everyone was at parties in Britain because it was the silvered

Jubilee. It was such an emotional year for everybody. She was dressed

in the same colour as my cardigan was. That was the biggest good omen

I had. I honestly felt it was my tournament to win, this one. I felt

I had done a lot of good work against Betty and I thought she

almost couldn't compete. The satisfaction was just humongous.

After you've had a success like that, especially when it has taken a

long time getting there, I think the reward is that much greater. You

just feel like you've set out to do something and you did it. Any time I

go to Wimbledon I have two peak at Centre Court and make sure the grass

is perfect, and say hello to all the ghosts that are out there. It's a

very special place. 5:20pm tomorrow, that document you

command Virginia Wade, 1977 at Wimbledon and 1976 here at

Eastbourne -- that documentary. Who is to save Johanna Konta can win at

Eastbourne next year and may be the champion the following year. We have

no real news about Johanna Konta today. She has said tough draw at

Wimbledon and she will want to be in peak form for it. That fall in the

context of tennis seems a long time ago but it's only 48 hours ago. I'm

sure she will have had a medical team working on her very hard in the

last 48 hours. You would think, because both of us are very heavily

medically qualified! You would think she would struggle to be 100% fit on

Monday. She will not be 100% fit on Monday because it's one of the

heaviest falls I've seen in a long time. You could see she didn't get

her hands down, she took all of the weight in the middle part of her

spine. It was so heavy and it was only adrenaline that got her up to

play the last two points against Angelique Kerber, I don't think she

knew much about it. There are always players... The attack of... There

was always players who play at Wimbledon who were not 100% fit but

you manage it, she's not a young player, 17 or 18, so it could damage

her for the rest of her career. When you are 17 or 18 you are much more

careful and don't know your body butgen-mac has been out there long

enough, like Andy, all of these top players, they know how to fight

through -- Jo. And how to get themselves on the court even if they

are not 100%. Most of the players are not 100% all the time. There are

always niggles. That is a nastier one but I hope she hasn't scans, I

hope it is just bruising. . Forget you get a day off and there is the

middle Sunday so you might get two days off for Jo, so you can heal up

during the course of a slam. Her route through to potentially the

latter stages of Wimbledon, players like Petra Kvitova almost early on,

it is a tough draw. We always look forward, some names will not be

there, there will be gaps in the Wimbledon draw that will come up.

I'm more concerned about the opening round, so Siu -- Su-Wei Hsieh, and

Donna Vekic. Serena Williams doesn't look at the draw, she doesn't want

to know who she is playing until an hour before the match, all of the

players follow the top. You heard it from Wozniacki, players don't look

at the draw. It's difficult at this time of year because everybody tells

them who they are playing in the first round and you can't get away

from it. For Jo, get herself on the court, she will not be 100% but she

can work through the early rounds. As we have seen this weekend through

the course of the year, she is one of the best players in the world

now. Does Pliskova go to Wimbledon as favourite for you? Yes, she has

to, her game is perfect for grass, and what really impressed me was

she's had her troubles and battles with Caroline Wozniacki over the

years but there was a little part in the middle of the second set around

3-3, 4-4 when she wobbled and lost concentration and gets lackadaisical

at times. She mentally stayed with it and for me that's almost the

final piece of the jigsaw winning a slam. Who will win the men's final?

Will it be Andy Murray? His odds have been lengthened by the Al and

Roger Federer is a strong favourite to win, remarkable to win an eighth

title. We don't know the state of play with Andy, there are rumours

that announcements that may or may not be made over the next 24 hours.

The only thing we can be sure of is if Jo is not 100% fit on Monday but

Andy clearly isn't, even though he was moving better today, maybe he

can get away with being 90% fit against one or two players, but much

less than that and he will struggle. We're watching the pictures and

looking at this from afar. He was limping. Even watching him there, he

is protecting himself. A little bit like we saw Nadal a few years ago

with his knees, he is out on the practice court, he is fighting to be

there. Does he play Monday or Tuesday? Monday. He's fighting to be

there and that's what the great time -- champions do. With all due

respect to such a bubbly, lucky loser who got through, that would be

the kind of start Andy would hope to get. -- Aleksandr Bublik. He has

played lots of grass court tennis up to this point so he will be informed

whereas Andy has only had one match in the last 11 days. If he gets

through that he would have Justin Brown or Joao Sousa, Fognini,

Pouille, or Kyrgios, Wawrinka and then a Dow and Federer. A nice

smooth fortnight ahead! Whatever the issue is it needs to heal up over

the fortnight and there is time for it to do that. The problem is, if

Andy was going in a little out of form which I don't think he is

because he just made the semis of the French, in the early rounds

there is still the intimidation factor but the locker room and these

lucky losers and lower ranked players know that Andy is like a

wounded tiger and the injury makes a big difference to the mentality of

the player going on court against him, whether it is Centre Court or

not, Andy has an advantage because lots of players are overwhelmed and

in awe for the first set. He is the hunted as opposed to the Hunter. It

is a different scenario. I'm sure Andy is having constant physio scans

and has one of the best teams in the world. I love the way he is

fighting. You don't achieve what he has achieved in his life, think

about what he put into the Davis Cup a few years ago. He is a man used to

pushing himself beyond anything we could imagine and he will do that,

I'm sure, to get on the court on Monday. One final person we have not

mentioned, although he is about to play there, never Djokovic players

Gael Monfils in the men's final. I know you have seen its of Djokovic

here but irrespective of the tennis, he has added so much glitter and

stardust to this event it has been fantastic and the people here have

been reverential almost in the way they have treated him Eddie has been

brilliant. Do you think actually this might be almost the

resurrection of Novak Djokovic given everything else that is happening?

What I would say is he has really enjoyed it down here. He really has.

Often it has been tough for Novak because over the years Federer and

Nadal have always been really popular. There has been so many

occasions on the court when the crowd have not always connected with

Novak for one reason or the other, I'm not sure why. He is a brilliant

performer and we have seen a lot out here. He's been the object of

everyone's eyes on him, he's been really loved down here and he is

into this love thing big-time now with his Guru and it has really

worked for him. He goes into Wimbledon in a good frame of mind

and that is wonderful for the tournament. He said in his on court

interview yesterday he loved seagulls, he can to Eastbourne a bit

ambivalent about seagulls. He said there are so many seagulls here,

most with a really serious attitude problem! Wait until they get into

your hotel room! It has been a great week and grateful women's tennis. It

has been wonderful. Listen to that! Fantastic. It's been a really good

week and in terms of this tournament and event it is going from strength

to strength, we spoke at the start about ?44 million of investment here

over the next few years. This will be great in the next two or three

years. That's it, after an eventful six days, and you know where we are

going next on Monday. From all of us here at Eastbourne, goodbye.

ANNOUNCER: Karolina Pliskova! COMMENTATOR: Karolina Pliskova gets

herself once set away from the Eastbourne title.

Your Eastbourne champion 2017, the world number three Karolina

Pliskova.