Makarova, Pliskova to play for WTA Pattaya Open title

PATTAYA, Thailand, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- No. 4-seeded Ekaterina Makarova and Karolina Pliskova each won in three sets Saturday and will meet in the finals of the WTA's PTT Pattaya Open in Thailand.

Makarova, who was the only seeded player to make the semifinals, defeated Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 after Pliskova had taken out Julia Goerges 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Sunday's final will mark the fourth WTA championship match for Makarova but first for her since she won the AEGON International in June 2010. Pliskova was beaten by Bethanie Mattek-Sands in three sets in the title match of the Malaysian Open last March in her only previous final.

Makarova and Pliskova have never before played against each other.

Makarova claimed about 60 percent of the points over the first and third sets. Hlavackova had three breaks in controlling the second set but Makarova allowed her only one break opportunity in each the first and third sets.

Pliskova lost her serve once in each set but still took two-thirds of the points when serving. She dropped just seven points on serve over five games of the third set and had a pair of breaks in defeating Goerges.