Pliskova breaks into top five after claiming Brisbane title

Czech Karolina Pliskova crushed Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-0, 6-3 with a barrage of winners to win the Brisbane International title on Saturday and signal her intent for this month's Australian Open.

Pliskova, who will rise to a career-high number five in the world rankings on Monday, dropped one set all week and continued her dominance in the final, hitting 30 winners compared to her opponent's 10.

"It's nice to join the other names on this trophy," Pliskova said after winning the Evonne Goolagong Cawley trophy for her seventh WTA title.

"Every day here it's been a full stadium and I've loved to play in front of you and I hope I'm going to be back next year."

Cornet, who won her only previous meeting with the big-hitting Czech in 2013, had no answers and the first set lasted 18 minutes.

Cornet got on the board in the first game of the second set and managed to stretch her opponent but did not have enough to withstand the Czech's booming serves and fierce groundstrokes.

Pliskova, last year's US Open runner-up, served seven aces, won 90 percent of her first service points and did not face a single break point opportunity.

"I wish I'd done better tonight, but Karolina was way too good for me and I bet she's going to win a slam soon," Cornet said.

"I had an amazing week here in Brisbane and enjoyed every moment. I'm proud I made it to the final, it wasn't easy but I did it. Of course, I couldn't make this last step but there's a lot of positives I can take out of it."

Image: Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova celebrates victory after beating France's Alize Cornet to win the 2017 Brisbane International women's final at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on Saturday

Photograph: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images