2014 WTA Finals: Each Contender's Key to Winning in Singapore
The stars have arrived, the groups have been drawn and the WTA Finals in Singapore is underway.
Only three of the eight women to feature this year have won the tournament before (Serena Williams (4), Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova), while there are two debutants in Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard.
The groups, always significant to an individual's chances in such a format, are below.
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Red Group
Serena Williams
Simona Halep
Eugenie Bouchard
Ana Ivanovic
White Group
Maria Sharapova
Petra Kvitova
Agnieszka Radwanska
Caroline Wozniacki
Below we assess each contender's key to ending the year by winning in Singapore.
Caroline Wozniacki
For Caroline Wozniacki, it is all about maintaining momentum the she has generated since May.
Having fallen to No. 18 in April, she bounced back to reach her second U.S. Open final in September and qualified for the WTA Finals after Li Na’s retirement, which has damaged the hype around the Asia-based tournament.
Wozniacki also reached the final in Tokyo last month, but she was beaten by Ana Ivanovic.
The Dane will be buoyed by her career record (13-13) against her group rivals. Her battle with Petra Kvitova in particular will likely be most significant in terms of getting out of the group; the duo are currently locked 4-4 in terms of career battles.
But she did beat Maria Sharapova on the way to her surprising U.S. Open final appearance and may feel confident of an early surprise, which would all but secure her place in the semi-finals.
Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanovic, unlike her first opponent Serena Williams, has enjoyed a strong Asia-Pacific tour, winning her fourth tournament of the year (which only Williams betters) in Tokyo and reaching the semi-finals in Beijing.
She has beaten more Top 10 players this year than in the last three years combined, including the only defeat for Maria Sharapova on clay all year, as well as a fantastic first win over Serena Williams at the Australian Open.
The woman who has won more matches (56) than anyone else this year must continue such giant-killing form if she is to stand a chance in the tougher group of the tournament.
Indeed, losing to Williams in her opening match would make reaching the semi-finals at her first WTA Finals for six years an uphill battle, given she has only recorded one win from four battles against her other group rivals, tournament newcomers Eugenie Bouchard (0-2) and Simona Halep (1-2).
Agnieszka Radwanska
As Patrick Johnston rather bluntly summarised for Reuters, “[Agnieszka Radwanska’s] form has headed south since securing the Montreal title in August.”
In truth, it hasn’t been particularly north all year.
Montreal was her only title of the year, compared to three in each of the three previous years.
More alarmingly, in terms of her chances in Singapore, she has managed to beat a fellow Top 10 player in just two tournaments: Victoria Azarenka at the Australian Open, where she impressively reached the semi-final, and Jelena Jankovic and Simona Halep at Indian Wells, where she surprisingly lost to Flavia Pennetta in the final.
But she remains No. 6 in the world because of her commendable consistency; in seven of the nine highest-ranked Premier tournaments, she reached at least the quarter-final.
To get out of the group and go at least one better in Singapore, the Pole must rediscover the mojo that made her the official WTA Fans’ Favourite three years running (2011-13).
But it will not be easy, given she has won only 20 per cent of her encounters with group favourites Maria Sharapova (2-10) and Petra Kvitova (1-5).
Eugenie Bouchard
Comfortably the WTA Finals’ youngest competitor, Bouchard hasn’t arrived in Singapore in the greatest condition.
After pulling out of the Linz Open with a leg injury only twelve days ago, she told reporters: "I won't have ideal training probably but I'll give it my best,” per Reuters.
It’s hardly the fighting talk we’ve been used to from the 20-year-old across a stellar season, suggesting there is a lack of belief that she can go far this time around.
Regardless, her opening battle with fellow rising star, Simona Halep—the only other debutant at this year’s tournament—will be fascinating.
Bouchard will likely look to take the initiative in a potential battle for second spot, but she must be careful her physical condition is not exploited by her opponent, who is generally the better mover of the two in any situation.
It is simply a must-win match for the Canadian, otherwise an early exit beckons.
Simona Halep
Simona Halep is in a very similar position to her fellow Finals’ debutant, Eugenie Bouchard, in that she arrives in Singapore disappointingly out of form despite a brilliant year.
The importance of the duo’s encounter, as discussed, cannot be downplayed due to Serena Williams’ presence in the group.
But while the 23-year-old is yet to beat the legendary American in three attempts, she feels confident it could be different this time around, as per WTAFinals.com:
"It's a big challenge for me to play against her. This year I didn't. Last time we played was in Cincinnati last year, so it's a long time ago. I just want to be positive and to believe in my chance.”
It is interesting that she calls last year "a long time ago."
For any normal adult, a year ago may not feel particularly different to the current one.
But it is perfectly understandable for the Romanian to describe it that way, given her achievements in climbing from No. 11 at the end of 2013.
Now she must focus in a manner she perhaps hasn’t since Wimbledon if she is to give herself a genuine chance of winning the greatest title of her career to date.
Petra Kvitova
Petra Kvitova arrives in Singapore in good form, having won in Wuhan and lost the Beijing Open final in three terrific sets to Maria Sharapova.
She has been drawn with the Russian, who she now has a disappointing 2-6 record against, at the round-robin stage but will feel confident of at least reaching the knockout stage for the third time in four years at the WTA Finals.
The only thing stopping the 2011 winner is herself.
As Peter Bodo for Tennis.com analysed in his preview for the tournament: “Kvitova still needs to show that she can harness that striking power and left-handed juju with any regularity—something that’s less of a technical or physical issue than a mental one.”
What will help her do so is the indoor surface, on which she once had a 32-match winning streak.
With a lack of indoor tournaments on the tour nowadays, the 24-year-old Czech reflected: "I've missed it so much. It's finally time when I can play indoor this year," as per WTAFinals.com.
There’s little doubt the tournament’s dark horse thrives on quicker surfaces in general, as shown by her two Wimbledon titles.
But if she is to repeat her breakthrough year by once again winning the prestigious end-of-year tournament, she may well need to beat Serena Williams for the first time.
Maria Sharapova
For Maria Sharapova, the task to win the WTA Finals and end the year as No. 1 looks increasingly like it may depend on beating Serena Williams for the first time in a decade.
It may not come to that, of course, but it seems incredibly likely.
Sharapova arrives in Singapore as the in-form player on tour, having climbed from No. 7 in May to a position where she is now heavily breathing down Williams’ neck.
She reflected to the press, meanwhile, as per SportingLife.com, that she is "quite happy with [her] group."
And who could blame her? She has a positive head-to-head record against Kvitova (6-2), Radwanska (10-2) and Wozniacki (5-3).
The Beijing winner must take advantage of this by asserting herself in a typically dominant manner to build momentum ahead of a potential final clash against Williams.
She is currently fresher and fitter than the American, who has struggled with illness and injury on the Asia-Pacific tour.
As Chris Evert analysed, as per WTAFinals.com, it is Williams’ movement that has given her the edge over Sharapova in recent times: "I think Serena's game is always going to give Maria trouble because of movement. Serena can run down a lot of Maria's balls.”
A knee injury will surely narrow the gap between the two in this regard.
If the eagerly anticipated encounter does occur, the Russian may be in a better position than ever to do what she hasn’t done since 2004: beat Williams.
Serena Williams
It has not been a happy Asia-Pacific tour for Williams, who was forced to retire in Wuhan and Beijing due to a combination of illness and a knee injury.
But some would consider her to be doing what she has done so well over the years: save herself for the tournaments that matter most.
Her quotes after Saturday’s draw, as per Reuters, suggest this may well be the case: "I'm ready. I really can't wait for my match. I wish I had a match tomorrow."
Her astonishing career win-loss record of 49-4 against her seven opponents in Singapore makes her the overwhelming favourite alongside Sharapova, the only other player of the eight to boast an overall positive record against her competitors.
Williams is also on the second-longest winning streak at the end-of-year tournament in history, as per WTAFinals.com, having won her last 15 matches during her title wins of 2009, 2012 and 2013.
Therefore, it seems unthinkable that she won’t top her group, although her knee injury will be put to the test by her youthful opponents.
Neither Halep (0-3) or Bouchard (0-1) have beaten the American yet, but they will not be scarred by their countless defeats to Williams over several years.
Ivanovic would almost certainly have fallen into that category until her achievements this year. The duo’s opening encounter feels significant for Williams, as she will be keen to display no signs of physical weakness from the outset.
After all, that is surely the only thing that can realistically stop the 33-year-old from winning her fifth end-of-season title.
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