Wozniacki ends title wait in Tokyo

TOKYO — Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki overpowered Japan’s Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to capture the Pan Pacific Open Sunday, her first tournament victory since February 2015. The Dane, who has battled back from a wretched run of injuries this year, weathered an early storm from her teenage opponent before running out a comfortable winner, claiming a second Tokyo title and the 24th of her career. Wozniacki, the Pan Pacific champion six years ago, survived a health scare after dropping serve to go down 4-3 in the first set. After feeling a twinge in her left thigh, she left the court for treatment and returned with her leg heavily bandaged. But it appeared to have little adverse effect as Wozniacki took complete control, ripping a fierce backhand down the line to take the set. The 18-year-old Osaka, who called a medical timeout of her own for a sore right shoulder after losing the first set, produced some spirited resistance to avoid the dreaded ‘bagel’, but it was too little too late. The Dane is set to climb to 22 or 23 in the new rankings when they are released on Monday. Osaka, born of a Japanese mother and Haitian father, will break into the top 50 after her fairytale run. Arruabarrena wins Korea Open Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena beat Romanian fifth seed Monica Niculescu Sunday to win the Korea Open, her first WTA Tour singles title for more than four years. The 24-year-old triumphed over Niculescu, currently the world No. 55, 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 to take home $43,000 in prize money. It was Arruabarrena’s second WTA singles title and the first since Bogota in February 2012. She won doubles’ titles at the Korea Open in 2014 and 2015. Vinci ousts gold medalist Puig Roberta Vinci downed Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig in the first round of the Wuhan Open Sunday. Italy’s Vinci took just one hour and 20 minutes to defeat the Puerto Rican in two sets, 6-3, 6-3. Vinci served eight aces en route to the second round. — Agencies