BRUSSELS – Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki overcame a thigh injury to defeat China's Peng Shuai 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 and win the inaugural Brussels Open.
Wozniacki won her fourth tournament this year, the most on the WTA Tour, and her first win on red clay ahead of the French Open.
Starting slowly after a tough three-set win over Francesca Schiavone late Friday, the Dane improved in the second set against the 31st-ranked Peng.
Wozniacki needed medical treatment on her left thigh in the third set before clinching victory.
She played the rest of the match with tape on her leg but said it wouldn't affect her opener at Roland Garros. She will play 40-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan.
"It is fine. There are no big problems. It was a small pain. I just didn't want it to get bigger," she said.
With two tense three-setters in as many days, Wozniacki played over five hours of top tennis in just over 24 hours before heading for Paris.
"I feel in good shape. I don't feel tired at all. I am full of confidence," she said.
Wozniacki looked tentative throughout the first set, committing five double-faults. She had difficulty with the range of her groundstrokes on the windy center court.
Peng played with abandon, looking for the lines with her two-handed forehand and backhand. While she was constantly looking for winners, Wozniacki was mostly waiting for her to make errors.
The 25-year-old Peng was aiming for her first WTA tour win, but is 0-for-4 so far.
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