The first round-robin stage at the 2015 WTA Finals completed on Monday as Spain’s Garbine Muguruza & Angelique Kerber won their opening matches in Singapore this year.
Playing the Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova, Muguruza managed to close out a hotly-contested straight-set win, edging out Safarova in a tight second set that ended in a tiebreak in the Spaniard’s favor. Her first win in Singapore wasn’t the only reason for Muguruza to celebrate on Monday, as the 22-year-old also reached a new career high ranking of #3 this week.
Muguruza will soon be facing off with Angelique Kerber, the German #1 who made a successful start into her 2015 WTA Finals campaign by beating Petra Kvitova in straight sets on Monday. After the match, Kvitova revealed that she’s still very much fighting with her mono disease, having recently received a less than positive blood test result. Nevertheless, the two-time Wimbledon champion is not thinking of withdrawing from the event, but rather planning to compete in her remaining two round-robin matches despite her on-going health issues.
Before the evening singles matches, the media in Singapore got to meet four of the WTA’s most famous tennis legends, as Martina Navratilova, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Tracy Austin & Marion Bartoli answered press questions ahead of their doubles competition later this week. Afterwards, the WTA’s newly-appointed CEO Steve Simon talked to the press, outlining some of the possible changes coming to the women’s tour in the future.
The WTA’s immediate future will be all about the second round-robin stage that kicks off at the WTA Finals tomorrow, featuring the much anticipated match between Maria Sharapova & Simona Halep.
As usual, Women’s Tennis Blog will have you covered so keep checking back for all the latest from Singapore all week long!
Jimmie48, wow many photos! Great job! My favorite is the one of Muguruza waving.
And Marion Bartoli… I don’t know what to say. Even when she’s smiling she looks drained. There’s something seriously wrong. I wonder what her father, who is a doctor, has to say about her looks/state.
About Bartoli…do you really think so?? When I saw the pictures, I thought I’ve never seen her looking better…but of course, I know nothing about how she feels.
Claire, wow, you’re the first one with a positive comment (that I’m aware of). I’m actually glad to hear that you find her looking better than ever, it makes me doubt my impression and she may well be healthy, even though she looks the opposite to me.
I had heard that Li Na, as Bartoli was going to be an ambassador to this tournament. Any pics of her? If she did not make it, I suppose she and Dennis were too busy with little Alisa!
BTW Marija if you get any updated pics of their baby Alisa, please post them. She is close to 5 months old. As for the tournament..gooooo Garby!
Jim, I’ve seen photos of Li Na in Singapore, for example at the match between Sharapova and Radwanska. As for baby Alisa, I still haven’t come across her pics. But thank you for reminding me to pay close attention in social media, where they are most likely to surface first.