Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska yesterday celebrated her rise to the top four of the world rankings with a 6-3, 6-2 thumping of Alison Riske in the Shenzhen Open final, her 18th WTA career title.
Radwanska has ensured she will replace Russian world No. 4 Maria Sharapova in tomorrow’s rankings by reaching the final of the tournament in China and backed that up with a routine victory over her American opponent.
“I think Alison was really playing solid tennis today,” Radwanska said. “She has a very powerful game from the baseline — I was really struggling from the baseline. I was really in a lot of trouble there, but my serve really helped me today. Also, in the deciding points, I was a little bit better and I think that’s why the score was the way it was — it made it look easier than the actual match was.”
Photo: AFP
The Pole did not drop a set in her run to the title and yesterday’s triumph is sure to increase her confidence ahead of the Australian Open, which gets underway in Melbourne on Jan. 18, after a spectacular end to last season.
Radwanska showed steady improvement throughout last year, winning titles in Tokyo and Tianjin before she claimed her first WTA Finals championship in Singapore last November when she overcame Petra Kvitova in three sets.
The former world No. 2 will now head to Sydney for her final warmup before the first grand slam of the season.
“It’s the beginning of the year, so we’re all fresh compared to the end of the year. I’m feeling good,” the 26-year-old said. “Also I have a bye there [Sydney], so I’ll have a couple of days off right now.”
AUCKLAND CLASSIC
Reuters
Sloane Stephens yesterday ground down unseeded German Julia Goerges 7-5, 6-2 to win the Auckland Classic, the American ending a busy day at the office with a confidence-boosting triumph ahead of the Australian Open.
The world No. 30, a former semi-finalist at Melbourne Park, secured her second WTA title, having made her long-awaited breakthrough at Washington in August.
Although she overpowered the German in a dominant second set, Stephens was made to work hard for the title, needing to first wrap up her rain interrupted semi-final with former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-6(3) earlier yesterday.
Their semi-final was suspended the previous evening with fifth seed Stephens leading 5-2 in the first set.
Stephens quickly sealed the opener upon resumption before prevailing in a second-set dog fight on a windswept center court to set the platform for her triumph later in the day.
“You can never prepare for playing a set and then rain, then finishing the match the next morning and coming back again in the afternoon,” Stephens said. “You just have to keep going and do your best.”
The American, who stunned compatriot Serena Williams on her way to the Australian Open last four in 2013, was naturally delighted to claim an early season title triumph.
“We have a really long season — I have to play all the way until October — so to win a tournament in the first week of the year is amazing,” said Stephens, who later pulled out of next week’s Hobart International with a viral illness.”
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