TAIPEI CITY, Chinese Taipei - Luksika Kumkhum crowned a wonderful week at the Taipei OEC Open by beating Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 6-3 to take the title.
The second seed had not dropped a set in the previous rounds, and continued that record in the final against the unseeded German.
Although the two recorded similar first-serve percentages - Lisicki made 69 per cent compared to Kumkhum's 72 per cent - the Thai was much sharper in the points she converted on serve, taking 86 per cent on her first serve and 82 per cent on her second. It took her just 21 minutes to secure the first set, and little longer to wrap up the match.
Added to four aces and four break points, it resulted in a convincing win for the 25-year-old, who is enjoying the best year of her career; 2018 saw her reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in Australia as well as reach a highest-ever ranking of World No.80 at the start of November.
