Singapore: Caroline Wozniacki claimed the biggest title of her career after the Dane staved off a ferocious Venus Williams fightback to take a 6-4, 6-4 triumph in the WTA Finals title showdown at a captivated Singapore Indoor Stadium here Sunday.
The 27-year-old former World No.1 entered the contest having lost to the evergreen Williams seven times in as many matches but the resilient Dane served and retrieved brilliantly and emerged with a deserved victory after 89 minutes.
Wozniacki was faultless for an hour as she raced to a one-set and 5-0 lead but Williams always plays to win and the 37-year-old American reeled off four games in a row before the Dane could finally lift the title at the elite, eight-woman event in her fifth appearance.
The first three games were dominated by the server until the Dane started to find the corners with her powerful backhand and fashioned the first break of the match with back-to-back winners off both flanks.
Williams was trying to get to the net at every opportunity and came forward to good effect after dropping her serve. A vicious cross-court backhand enabled the American to break back immediately on her way to levelling the score at 3-3.
The American came roaring back once more, leaving the Dane looking on as a helpless spectator. Wozniacki then seized the momentum with her variation, depth of shot and complete lack of errors preventing Williams from grabbing any sort of foothold.
Halep earns No.1 spot
Singapore: Romanian tennis player Simona Halep Sunday earned the 2017 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Year-End World No.1 singles ranking, becoming the 13th player to achieve that feat. Despite being ousted in the WTA Finals following her defeat in the last round robin match against Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
reuters