Stanford, United States: Germany's Angelique Kerber claimed her fourth title of 2015 by outlasting rising star Karolina Pliskova in a three-set marathon final at the WTA Tour's Stanford tournament on Sunday. Kerber, who was seeded fifth, needed two hours and seven minutes to post a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Czech Pliskova who ended the match on a forehand error.


Angelique Kerber of Germany holds up the trophy after she beat Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the finals on Day 7 of the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University Taube Family Tennis Stadium in Stanford, California. Pic/AFP

"We always have tough battles when we play each other," Kerber said of facing Pliskova. Kerber hammered 27 winners and made just 14 unforced errors as she was able to overcome the more powerful and much taller (1.86 metre) Pliskova. Kerber now has four WTA Tour titles this season with one each on red clay, green clay, hardcourt and grass.