Agniszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova turned the tables in the SFs, shocking Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sharapova. Both Muguruza and Sharapova went a perfect 3-0 in the round-robin and were favourites to advance to the Final. However Radwanska after losing all of her previous 4 meetings in 2015 to Muguruza, came back from a set down to win a 3 set nailbiter. Kvitova meanwhile won a tight battle between the tournaments only former champions, to surprise Sharapova and set p an unlikely Championship Showdown.
WTA Finals, Singapore: Day 7 Sat, SFs
Radwanska bt Muguruza: 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5. & Kvitova bt Sharapova: 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Halloween descended upon Singapore and for two of the SFinalists,it was a nightmare which ended their otherwise perfect stay at the WTA Finals.
Aga and Petra barely made it out their groups, going 1-2, before scraping through due to other results going their way.
Maria Sharapova and Garbine Muguruza meanwhile had ended the round-robin phases as group winners, winning all 3 of their matches and go into the semi’s unbeaten.
However neither of them banked on an inspired Aga Radwanska and Petra Kvitova from producing a stunning display and defeating them.
Sharapova coming into the tournament had only played 1 match since Wimbledon- a 2nd rd. retirement in Wuhan. She’s basically been struggling with injuries galore since SW19, so came into the event as a big uncertainty. Kvitova on the other hand has struggled with injuries herself and having to deal with being diagnosed with mononucleosis.
Sharapova led the overall h2h 6-3. But in a repeat of their previous encounter which was at the WTA Finals in Singapore last year, it would be Kvitova who’d rise to the occasion.
On serve and down 2-3 in the first set, Kvitova then went on a charge, claiming 4 games on the bounce for a 6-3 opening set.
It then looked for all of the world that Sharapova would level at a set all, racing out to a huge 5-1 lead. Maria then came within 1 point of winning the 2nd set, when she had set point up 5-3.
But Kvitova saved it and would go on to win 3 more games on the trot, to lead 6-5. Sharapova subsequently clung on to a force a tie-break and attempt to salvage the big lead she had.
In the end though she was unable to do so, as despite going up 2-0, Kvitova stormed back to reel off 7 of the next 8 points for the victory: 7-3.
The first SF between Radwanska and other unbeaten diva Garbine Muguruza, was even more of a slugfest than the 2nd one.
This season, Muguruza has been a pain in the arse for Radwanska, beating the majestic Pole in all 4 encounters in: Sydney, Dubai, Wimbledon and Beijing.
So going in, Muguruza was feeling quietly confident of her chances of reaching the Final in her debut at the event.
But the magician like tricks and qualities of Radwanska, coupled with her guise, grace and tenacious defence, annoyed the hell out of the Spanish powerhouse.
In a whirlwind first set, where neither player knew whether they we coming or going, Muguruza eventually eked it out 7-5, from 4-1 down in the breaker.
In the 2nd set though, Aga was not about to let her chances go for a second time and hit back brilliantly to take it by 6-3.
She then carried that surge of momentum into the decider, going up 4-1. But she watched and watched as that lead quickly fell away and soon it was 4-4 all.
True to her fighting spirit though, Radwanska was determined to not lose and subsequently put in final push for the win.
After 2 hours and 38 minutes, her determination worked as 1 last break of Muga’s serve up 6-5, sent an elated but relived Pole into her very first WTA Championships Final.
World Tennis News: ATP Basel
All Things Tennis- from Hamza Shakeel 