The round robin stage of the 2014 WTA Championships concluded on Friday as Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska and Serena Williams joined Simona Halep in qualifying for the semi-finals in Singapore. In the first match of the day, Maria Sharapova edged Agnieszka Radwanska, 7-5 6-7(4) 6-2 in a topsy-turvy encounter that featured a wild second set. This was Sharapova’s second match of the week that went past the three hour mark. After winning a tight opening set, Sharapova looked in complete control as she led 4-0 and 5-1 in the second set. She had three match points, but was twice broken serving for the match as Radwanska won five straight games and then won the second set tiebreak after Sharapova threw in a double fault down set point.
Sharapova came back to win the third set against Radwanska and secure her first win of the week, but it wasn’t enough to qualify. Maria’s only chance of progressing to the semi-finals was to win this match in straight sets.
In the second match of the day, Caroline Wozniacki eased past Petra Kvitova, 6-2 6-3 to top the group, having won all of her group matches. Kvitova went an early break up in both sets, but was unable to fend off an in-form Caroline. It was a disappointing result for Petra, who is renowned for playing some of her best tennis indoors. Wozniacki though, has been in superb form this week and also helped out her friend by beating Kvitova. It is also worth noting that if Sharapova had converted one of the match points in the second set against Radwanska, then she would have gone through to the semi-finals…
In the final match from the round robin stage, Singapore continued to deliver drama and excitement. Ana Ivanovic needed to beat Simona Halep in straight sets to qualify for the semi-finals, otherwise Serena would take the final place in the last four. After going down 5-2 in the first set and teetering on the edge of elimination, Ivanovic won four straight games and managed to forced a tiebreak. Ivanovic won the tiebreak, saving a set point and prolonging the agony for Serena. To her credit, Halep played a very professional match and she never let her motivation slip at all. Halep won a nervy second set, which was enough to send Ivanovic out of the tournament. Ivanovic completed the win in three sets, 7-6(7) 3-6 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes.
On Saturday, the two semi-finals from Singapore will take place with the final on Sunday. Wozniacki against Williams will kick off proceedings at not before 2.30pm local time followed by Radwanska against Halep at not before 6pm local time.
I hope you enjoyed my posts over the last four days. Marija will be back from tomorrow to continue the coverage from Singapore here at Women’s Tennis Blog. You can find me at Moo’s Tennis Blog where I will be previewing the final three matches from Singapore this weekend.
Post written by James Peeling of Moo’s Tennis Blog
Photo: Jimmie48
I sooo wish that both Halep and Serena play in the finals so that Serena can destroy her! She (Halep) was sooo stupid to win that second set today…
+1 on the previous comment! I don’t like fixed match but completely stupid Halep!!! When you have an opportunity to oust Serena, you take it. She’s going to regret it in a couple of days.
She’s gonna get her punishment tomorrow… I thinks Serena’s gonna make her cry on court
In The only match maria won, she took 10 min bathroom break after aga won 2nd set. Fair play is so rare now a days and i’m very happy that halep did what she did. Had she lost that match intentionally it’d be disrespectful to ana and serena ( remember vika vs bartoli in 2011?). I’m pretty sure ana is happy the way this tournament went for her. she did all she could . Also halep just defeated serena and i don’t think at that point of time she would have minded playing serena again