2014 WTA Finals: Final Grades for Every Player
It was nothing less than expected. Serena Williams, qualifying for the 2014 WTA Finals in first place, lifted another title in Singapore. Having endured a lesson at the hands of Simona Halep at the round-robin stage, Williams hit back with interest in the final to secure a satisfying final grade.
Eugenie Bouchard lost all three matches in her debut WTA Finals tournament. Caroline Wozniacki had entirely different fortunes in the White Group, qualifying for the semi-finals without defeat.
Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova both lost two games, while Ana Ivanovic won two and still failed to make the last four.
Agnieszka Radwanska made the semi-finals but was beaten by a seemingly unstoppable Halep.
The following slides will grade the eight competitors following their exertions at a classic WTA Finals.
Eugenie Bouchard
1 of 8
Grade: D+
It's not as if she needed the encouragement, but events in Singapore over the last week will spur Bouchard on to another level.
Unable to return from the WTA Finals with a set to show, the Canadian was beaten comprehensively by Red Group's Halep, Williams and Ivanovic.
The Wimbledon finalist's lack of experience in such prestigious occasions told. Bouchard talked of the disguise in Williams' shots as her undoing in her 6-1 6-1 loss, per wtafinals.com. The traits Williams has honed and balanced out over her career will come to Bouchard with more experience.
For this reason, Singapore has been exactly what she needed.
Fight is not an issue. In the opening game, Bouchard recovered from 0-40 to win the next five points and save an early break. Spirit will aid her, but tournaments like this will be the making of her.
Maria Sharapova
2 of 8
Grade: D
Different continent, same result. Sharapova's attempt to finish top of the WTA rankings was dealt a major blow by an opening defeat to Wozniacki.
The Dane had sent Sharapova out of the U.S. Open in July. The meeting in Singapore was tighter than the encounter in New York, with the first two sets decided on tie-breaks.
Victory in Singapore for Sharapova, ideally over Williams, wouldn't have completely atoned for a poor year in the Grand Slams. However, it would have garnered some momentum heading into 2015.
Defeat to Kvitova in the second round-robin match reversed the China Open final from earlier this month. A three set win over Radwanska spared partial blushes but still saw the Pole advance at her expense.
Ana Ivanovic
3 of 8
Grade: B-
Ivanovic might not have been the only one disappointed she didn't progress to the semis.
After beating Wozniacki in the Tokyo final, both would have relished a rematch; Ivanovic would have had the chance to make it three wins in 2014 against Wozniacki, while the Dane might have preferred to have avoided Williams.
Ivanovic, though, performed well during her time in Singapore. After a straight set defeat to Williams, Ivanovic saw off Bouchard comfortably before beating Halep in an excellent three-set match.
The Serbian played sumptuous tennis against Halep. In one of the light-hearted moments of the match, she even took a seat to laugh at her own misfortune at the end of a long rally.
Williams sneaked through to the semis, but Ivanovic deserved another shot at the last four. She is more than capable of improving on her No. 7 ranking in 2015, particularly if the calibre of performance against Halep is repeated.
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Petra Kvitova
4 of 8
Grade: C-
The left-handed Czech added to Sharapova's misery in Singapore with a 6-3 6-2 win on Thursday.
Kvitova broke Sharapova in the first set after a rally dictated by powerful forehands across court. Sharapova, unable to deal with them, found the net.
The world No. 2 held Kvitova at set point on a number of occasions in a lengthy seventh game in the second set, before Kvitova took it 6-2 in the next game.
The atmosphere seemed slightly subdued at Sharapova's defeat, but Kvitova was magnificent. Her loss to Wozniacki denied her the opportunity to win her second WTA Finals title.
Kvitova will be irked that defeats to Radwanska and Wozniacki weren't closer matches. Her victory over Sharapova, though, ended a five-match losing streak against her, allowing a small comfort from an otherwise disappointing tournament.
Agnieszka Radwanska
5 of 8
Grade: C
Radwanska managed to seal a semi-final place despite two White Group defeats to Wozniacki and Sharapova.
The current No. 6 claimed just three sets in the group before being beaten by Halep.
Radwanska dealt with Kvitova's ferocious forehand well enough to win the first 6-2. On more than one occasion, Kvitova could have closed the point out but ballooned shots.
That isn't to take anything away from Radwanska. Early in the second set, she pulled off a deft drop shot before Kvitova could establish any rhythm, going on to win 6-3.
Her attempts to diffuse Wozniacki, Sharapova and Halep weren't so successful, but the 25-year-old has made these finals four years in a row. That, in itself, is commendable.
Caroline Wozniacki
6 of 8
Grade: B+
The lowest ranked player coming into Singapore reached the top of White Group in relentless fashion.
Only Sharapova took a set from Wozniacki as she stormed into the semi-finals. The world No. 8 had lost to Williams in both of the matches they had played this season, perhaps dislodging the potential for surprise in the finals.
Regardless of her semi-final defeat, Wozniacki deserves great credit for battling through her group. She had beaten both Radwanska and Sharapova this season, in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open, respectively.
She inflicted the final blow on Kvitova in the last round-robin match, beating her 6-2 6-3. Despite taking the first set against Williams, the American roared back to take her final berth in a tie-break.
It is always difficult to know what to ascertain from such tournaments. Wozniacki, still without a Grand Slam, showed signs that she is getting closer in Singapore.
If she can handle Williams in 2015, that elusive first major is a certainty.
Simona Halep
7 of 8
Grade: B+
Having endured dips that come with the territory, Halep showed in Singapore that her status in the highest echelons of tennis is deserved.
As Eurosport phrased it, "Simona Halep mania is alive."
Her emphatic victory over Williams in the round-robin match was further confirmation that she is no one-season wonder.
The heights of 2013 encouraged expectation in 2014 and indeed in this tournament. She comfortably progressed to the last four, despite defeat to Ivanovic in one of the most enthralling matches.
After seeing off Radwanska, the Romanian found Williams in no mood for a repeat performance. Any hope of an encore was dashed by the world No. 1.
Halep continues to move forward and should realistically reach the the final of at least one Grand Slam next year. Singapore has proved a worthwhile trip, even if the end result was textbook.
Serena Williams
8 of 8
Grade: A
One hiccup aside, it was business as usual from Williams at the season-ending event. However, that bump was enough to set historians scrambling through the archives.
Halep's 6-0 6-2 round-robin win against Williams left the American to deal with her worst defeat since 1998. Yet, she still came away with the tournament title and a win over Halep in the process, securing a 6-3 6-0 victory.
Chris Chase wrote for USA Today that "Only Serena can make great years feel like disappointments because of her past heights."
Her U.S. Open win coupled with victory in Singapore certainly makes for pleasant reading on paper. Williams, though, will feel there is still another gear to aim for. She is capable of winning more than one Grand Slam in a year.
Singapore was, on the whole, a success. She fended off the resounding winner of the White Group to reach the finals where she overpowered Halep.
2015 will expect more of the same.
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