2014 WTA Finals: Winners and Losers from Singapore
Women's tennis showcased spectacular drama at Singapore's 2014 WTA Finals. The eight top players in the world battled out two well-balanced groups of competitive stars, and it led to fascinating elimination matches on Friday.
Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki were outstanding, putting in bids to take the trophy, but each ultimately undone by Serena Williams' dominance, which continues to loom over all of the rest when the stakes are highest.
We examine these stories in a special WTA "Winners and Losers" column, a glimpse into the results and outlooks for the top women in tennis.
Loser: Maria Sharapova
1 of 10
Before the tournament, Maria Sharapova had a chance to catch Serena Williams for the year-end No. 1 ranking. Instead, she melted away with her first two matches in the White Group, losing to Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova.
And she still had a chance in her third match. Had she defeated Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets, it turned out that she would have gone to the semifinals and still had a shot at No. 1. But she could not convert on three match points in the second set. Even though she won the match in the third set, she exited Singapore without reaching the semifinals. She will finish at No. 2.
Sharapova is often the center of attention in the WTA, and 2014 was a microcosm of the colorful ups and downs that have defined her career. She battled injuries and coaching changes in late winter. She ripped through the clay-court season and won the French Open. And just as it seemed she could climb to the top, she dropped her level, not able to win the remaining majors and climb back to the No. 1 ranking.
She may be currently dubbed "The Queen of Clay," but her baseline bashing is not enough to dominate hard courts. Will she truly contend for majors outside of Paris again? It's getting harder to believe she will.
Winner: Caroline Wozniacki
2 of 10
She was the best player in group play, but Caroline Wozniacki fell short in losing to Serena Williams in the semifinals. That does not take away from a terrific comeback that saw her build momentum in 2014 and perhaps put her back on track for the road to No. 1.
Wozniacki was impressive in defeating Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova. Not a bad week at all, especially as she continues to add running miles into her schedule in preparation for New York City's marathon next week, November 2.
She credited her extra conditioning as a key to playing well, according to ESPN.com:
"I just feel like right now with all the training and running I've been doing I can keep being out there and keep running. I kept thinking to myself out there in the third set (in reference to the Sharapova match), 'If you're going to get tired now, how are you going to get through this marathon? You better keep going.
"
Tennis looks fun once again for the renewed Dane. Will she feel just as good at the finish line in New York? Runners and tennis fans alike can tune in to find out.
Loser: Eugenie Bouchard
3 of 10
In January, teenage Eugenie Bouchard was all the rage as she roared to the Australian Open. She proved she was for real by adding a French Open semifinal and a Wimbledon finals appearance. She navigated pressure and cruised through tides of expectations.
She handled it all extremely well.
Maybe it all seemed to crash at Singapore as she was assaulted by Simona Halep, Ana Ivanovic and Serena Williams in six straight sets by a combined 36-11 score in games.
But this does not mean Bouchard is unworthy of media hype and fan interest. She is barely 20 years old and possesses world-class reflexes and vision in taking the ball early and playing with intelligence and punch. She is only going to get better and could perhaps create a following with fans similar to Maria Sharapova.
She just needs to respond with a big 2015.
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Winner: Crazy Drama Centered on Ana Ivanovic
4 of 10
There were several scenarios alive on the final day of group play to determine the semifinalists. Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep were already in, but Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova were all bidding for semifinals berths.
Sharapova was eliminated because she could not win in straight sets against Radwanska.
It was also excruciating to see Ivanovic ousted despite winning the Halep match. Had she won it in straight sets, she would have advanced. Instead, losing the second set cost her and allowed Serena to advance and ultimately win the tournament.
Halep might have also benefited from "tanking" the second set. It would have allowed her to rest more, and most importantly would have prevented a second meeting with Serena (More on this later).
Serena's fate rested on Halep and Ivanovic, but once she was given her new lease she took full advantage and seized the trophy. Legends might seem to get all the luck, but they have to be great enough to finish the job.
Loser: Serena Williams vs. Simona Halep No. 1
5 of 10
If there was ever a reason to think Serena Williams was not going to win Singapore, there was no stronger evidence than the 6-0, 6-2 beating she took in her second match and at the hands of Simona Halep. It was her worst loss since 1998.
Shouldn't Halep get the credit for her near-flawless play? If it was closer, that might have been the story. However, this was about Serena getting drilled. It brought up other times in 2014 when the American looked very vulnerable for one reason or another, losing major matches to Ana Ivanovic (Australian Open), Garbine Muguruza (French Open) and Alize Cornet (Wimbledon).
But while Serena can be slowed down with injuries and more inconsistent play, she is still never out, even while losing 12 of 14 games to rising star Halep. Her whitewashing nearly cost her a trip to the semifinals, but she did get in eventually, thanks to Halep.
The lopsided score may have been the added motivation Serena needed to avenge her loss and win the title. Following the beating, Serena stated her intentions, via the Guardian: "I think Simona played really well and the best match of her career. To be quite frankly honest, I’m looking forward to our next meeting because she is making me going to go home and work hard and particularly train for her."
This would be her turning point and the defining part of her comeback.
Winner: Simona Halep's Semifinal
6 of 10
All year, Simona Halep has lived up to the late-season promise she showed in 2013. She has climbed into the upper-echelon of tennis, even if she has not yet won the major titles. Singapore left no doubt that she is worthy of the No. 3 ranking.
Halep ripped Eugenie Bouchard and Serena Williams in group play. She refused to tank a match she did not have to win against Ana Ivanovic.
And she bludgeoned Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals 6-2, 6-2. Most impressively, Halep did not play the retriever role that got her to the French Open final. Although she is regarded as a quick, defensive-minded player with intelligent shot making, Halep proved she could be aggressive on fast courts.
She stepped inside the baseline and often went for her forehand or backhand up the line. Indeed, it seemed that she had finally evolved into the player that would grab the No. 1 ranking sometime in 2015.
She played exactly the way that Radwanska supporters hoped their heroine would play. She played with opportunistic intelligence and improvised with earlier timing and power—not Serena or Maria Sharapova power, but more like the quick-strike angles and early timing that have made ATP contender Kei Nishikori a major threat.
Halep did an awesome job in getting to the finals.
Loser: Petra Kvitova
7 of 10
She returned to the top of tennis in July by winning her second Wimbledon title. Still only 24 years old but having already seen the ups and downs at the highest level, Petra Kvitova had her sights set on winning at Singapore's fast courts.
Instead, she was bumped out of group play by two allegedly soft and defensive-minded players, Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki. Sure she defeated Sharapova in the midst of the disappointing bookend matches, but the most disappointing part of all this was that she did not assert herself with the control she needed to harness her power and game.
Furthermore, she had control of her own destiny in the Wozniacki match. Had she won, she would have advanced to the semifinals. Instead she turned in a meek 6-2, 6-3 performance against an opponent who simply outplayed her.
Look for bigger things from Kvitova in 2015.
Winner: Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki
8 of 10
Heading into their semifinal match at Singapore, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki had played three times since August, two thrillers and the U.S. Open title. There was some excellent tennis and contrast of style, but each time Serena was able to power her way to victory.
Group play the past week showed Serena was vulnerable after getting hammered 6-0, 6-2 by Simona Halep. Meanwhile, Wozniacki was the hot player, going 3-0 in group play and a legitimate threat to win the match and tournament.
Except that defeating Serena in big matches is one of the most difficult tasks in tennis history. Anytime Serena is supposedly vulnerable, she turns in a vintage performance. Against Wozniacki, she saved her best for last, rallying from a set down and ultimately prevailing in the third-set tiebreaker 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(6).
The final set was high-quality tennis from both pros. Neither player was intent on losing and the difference being that Serena had to pull out her best tennis to squeak out the win.Trailing 4-1 in the tiebreaker, she bounced back, eventually capitalizing on her fourth match point.
Afterwards, she showed emotional satisfaction in thanking the crowd, as reported by WTA Tennis: "I have to say Caroline played a great match. It was really difficult today. I felt really bad because she's so amazing and so nice, and she was the only player who hadn't lost in this tournament yet, so she really deserved to win. I love you—thank you for playing so well."
Loser: Simona Halep
9 of 10
Is it easier to get blown out in a championship match or to live with the torment of losing a couple of tiebreakers? Whatever, Simona Halep had hardly time to break a sweat before she was smiling and holding up the second-place trophy after getting crushed by Serena Williams, 6-3, 6-0.
The most astonishing thing is that Halep had been so awesome a few days earlier in overwhelming Serena 6-0, 6-2. Why the reversal? Was it simply Serena being awesome Serena?
No.
Halep is a topflight player who appeared to be at her best with three excellent wins and improved aggressiveness. She has shown mental toughness at matches like the French Open final, pushing Maria Sharapova to the limits.
But the one thing remaining is to win championship matches when the stakes are highest. Against Serena, she was not even close. She was deadlocked in the middle of the first set, but then shut out. Her opponent notwithstanding, Halep flopped.
Halep now has a brief off season to work, rest and gear up to win big titles in 2015.
Winner: Serena Williams
10 of 10
I watched the late-career rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. It was compelling tennis, classic contrasts of style and legends creating memories.
I marveled at Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. Graf is still the most consistent winner in tennis history, dominating on all surfaces en route to her record 22 majors. Seles turned in perhaps the most dominating stretch of tennis ever, until her career was cruelly taken from her in 1993.
But Serena continues to pick up more championships with the kind of fearsome comebacks that defy age and younger challenges. Yes, she is talented, but she destroys her top competitors whenever the stakes are highest. I've never seen equal one-sided dominance in how a champion imposes her will on her nearest competitors.
Congratulations once again to Serena Williams, year-end No. 1 and five-time WTA finals champion.
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