Agencies
Singapore, October 25
Simona Halep crushed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday to join Serena Williams in the championship decider at the WTA Finals.
The pint-sized Romanian rebounded from her loss to Ana Ivanovic in the last group match on Friday to dominate Radwanska at Singapore’s National Indoor Stadium.Halep broke Radwanska’s serve five times and racked up 26 winners against the Pole, including an overhead smash to seal her lopsided victory in just 67 minutes.
“I’m very excited to be in the final,” Halep said in a courtside interview. “I’ve played my best tennis here this week.”
The 23-year-old Halep, one of the most improved players in the women’s game, made it to the title match in her first appearance at the elite season-ending event.
Ranked 64th in the world 18 months ago, she announced her arrival as one of the game’s rising stars.
In 2013, the Romanian won her first WTA title. Then her second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The WTA, in one of its easiest decisions, named her as the tour’s most improved player.
At the start of this year, Halep won her first Premier-level event, in Qatar, then made her first grand slam final, at the French Open, finishing runner-up to Maria Sharapova.
But earlier this week, the 1.68 metre Halep sent everyone an ominous reminder about her potency on court when she demolished Williams 6-0, 6-2 in the round-robin stage, handing the world number one her heaviest defeat in 16 years.
Earlier, Serena Williams beat Caroline Wozniacki in a thrilling contest to reach her third consecutive final at the WTA Tour Finals.
Wozniacki served for the match in the third set and led 4-1 in the deciding tie-break but Williams battled back.
“Caroline played a great match, it was really difficult today. I feel so bad,” said the 32-year-old American.
“She’s the only one undefeated (after the group stages) in this tournament and she deserved to win.”
Williams had earlier smashed her racquet in frustration as the first set slipped away, but two breaks of serve brought the reigning champion level in the second set.
The third set was an epic affair, lasting longer than the first two combined, but after grabbing a break at 4-4, Wozniacki was unable to serve out the contest.
She saved a match point in her final service game and the Dane again looked on course for only her second win in 11 meetings with her good friend when she moved 4-1 clear in the tie-break.
Williams would not be denied, however, reeling off five straight points and finally sealing victory on her fourth match point after two hours and 13 minutes.
“I don’t know how many times I hit it, but boy, that racquet will never do me wrong again, I tell you,” Williams said of her angry outburst in the first set.
“It was definitely legendary. I kind of lost my cool a little bit. I thought, well, at least you know I’m passionate. I give 200%.
“When I play, doesn’t matter how I feel, I’m going to give everything I have for every shot and every point.
