Caroline Wozniacki stormed into the WTA Finals last four yesterday as Maria Sharapova’s early exit crowned Serena Williams as year-end world No. 1 for the second season in a row.
Wozniacki battered Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-3 for her third victory in Singapore, a result that eliminated the Wimbledon champion, but handed Agnieszka Radwanska a spot in today’s semis.
As the season finale’s group phase ends, Williams is relying on already qualified Simona Halep to get her into the semi-finals by winning at least a set against Ana Ivanovic later.
Photo: Reuters
However, the 18-time Grand Slam winner can already celebrate ending a season on top of the rankings for a fourth time after Sharapova’s bid to unseat her came to an abrupt halt.
The world No. 2 needed to beat Radwanska in straight sets to stay in the tournament, but after winning the first set, she agonizingly lost three match points and a tiebreaker in the second.
Sharapova rallied to win the match 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, but the 2004 champion exits the tournament after her earlier losses to Wozniacki and Kvitova, and now cannot overtake Williams in the rankings.
While Sharapova’s season is over, Wozniacki’s is still very much in play after a win over Kvitova that left her top of the White Group as arguably the form player of the tournament.
Super-fit Wozniacki, who is training for next month’s New York marathon in lieu of her canceled wedding to golfer Rory McIlroy, again made all the running as she beat Kvitova in 69 minutes.
“It feels so great. I’ve been working so hard and it’s paying off now,” she said.
Sharapova had a 10-2 head-to-head record against Radwanska going into yesterday’s match and won their past three meetings, but the world No. 6 was unfazed.
Neither player held serve in the first four games, but Sharapova eventually edged ahead and took the set.
In the second, she had the crucial victory on her racquet, but passed up two match points at 5-1 and another at 5-3 before Radwanska forced the tiebreaker and snatched it 7/4.
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