In an unlikely pairing for the WTA Finals Singapore trophy, Agnieszka Radwanska outlasted Petra Kvitova in a gripping three set match: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. This is the biggest title for the 26 year old from Poland in her career. Until today, her most significant wins were Premier Mandatories at Beijing in 2011 and Miami in 2012. She is the first player to win the WTA Finals after going 1-2 in the round-robin stage. Aga advanced to the final by defeating Garbiñe Muguruza for the first time in 2015. The fifth seed was on a hot streak recently having won two tournaments (Tokyo and Tianjin) and made it to the semifinals the China Open coming into Singapore.
Since reaching the quarterfinals at the US Open, the 25 year-old Kvitova has played in only two tournaments, losing in the first round at the China Open and third round at Wuhan. Kvitova also had been 1-2 in the round-robin stage of the event but rallied to upset Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. With this confidence booster and a 6-2 head-to-head edge over Radwanska, Kvitova seemed poised to earn her second WTA Finals crown. In addition to the 2011 WTA Finals title, she also has two Grand Slams (Wimbledon 2011 and 2014) to her credit.
However, Kvitova was very shaky in the first set donating the first game to Radwanska with a double fault and three groundstroke unforced errors. Over the next five games, Radwanska kept the ball in play with good anticipation and smart shot selection and waited for the Czech to make errors to go up 5-1. There would be no dramatic come-back in this set for the fourth seed, as Radwanska went on to take the opener 6-2 in just 33 minutes. The Pole had only one unforced error in the entire set compared to sixteen for Kvitova. Radwanska made 80% of her first serves, won 73% of her service points and did not face a breakpoint in the first set. In contrast, Kvitova only won half of her service points.
The second set started in similar fashion. Kvitova dropped the first game again as Radwanska ran down everything Kvitova threw at her and countered with a wide variety of skillful shots. The unforced errors for Kvitova continued to mount in the first four games of the set. Although she added two more errors in the fifth game, she started to dictate play with an ace and two forehand winners. The Czech went on to win the next two games, breaking Radwanska at love then holding at love to get have a lead for the first time in the match, 4-3. Kvitova broke Radwanska again in the tenth game to take the set, 6-4. Kvitova forced the action in this set, winning the point eleven of the thirteen times she came to net. Also, she improved her efficiency with twenty winners versus fourteen unforced errors. Radwanska’s first serve percentage decreased to 63 and Kvitova took better advantage of Radwanska’s weak second serve.
In the third set, the unforced errors crept back into Kvitova’s game. Despite this, she saved a breakpoint to hold the first game and was able to break Radwanska to go up 2-0. Radwanska started to make a few unforced errors and got away from her trademark slices and spins. Radwanska got back on form in the third game with two winners including a crowd pleasing tricky, angled shot. She was additionally aided by a Kvitova double fault and an unforced forehand error to break and get back on serve. After an Aga hold at love, the players traded breaks in games five and six. The Pole went on to win the final three games playing nearly error free tennis while the errors mounted again for Kvitova. The Czech committed twenty-three errors in the decider compared to only four for Radwanska.
Although, she competed well, Kvitova has been recovering from a bout with mononucleosis. In addition, she seemed to have been hampered by a right thigh injury. Radwanska’s right thigh was also taped, but she has said her leg is tired from playing so much tennis.
This title will boost Radwanska to a year-end world ranking of 5. Kvitova will end the year at 6.
After the match, Radwanska said, “It is an incredible day for me especially that a few weeks ago I didn’t know that I had any chance to be here … this is the biggest day in my life.”
