Angelique Kerber survived both comebacks of Karolina Pliskova, one in the first and one in the third set, and won the close final of the Aegon Classic Birmingham 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(4) for her sixth career title and third this season.
Kerber was in charge through most of the first set, but it’s of no use if you don’t capitalize on it. In the opening game the German already scored a break on her third break point and kept that advantage all the way to 5-3 40-0. Pliskova, however, didn’t give up, saved four set points, held her serve, then broke Kerber to level to 5-5 and managed to win the tiebreak that followed.