Wozniacki seals top spot despite defeat
Source: Agencies |
October 28, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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CAROLINE Wozniacki will end the year ranked world No. 1 although her chances of applying icing on the cake by winning the WTA Championships suffered a blow when she lost to Russia's Vera Zvonareva in her second round-robin match on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Dane was locked in combat with Zvonareva when news filtered through that Russian Maria Sharapova had withdrawn from the tournament with an ankle injury following a 6-7, 4-6 defeat by China's Li Na.
World No. 2 Sharapova began the day as the only player still able to topple Wozniacki from the summit but she was clearly not herself in an error-strewn defeat before announcing that her season was over.
It meant Wozniacki's 2-6, 6-4, 3-6 defeat was immaterial as far as the rankings were concerned. But with one win and one loss in the Red Group she could still miss out on the semifinals even if she beats Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova next.
Sharapova, still bothered by the left ankle sprain she suffered in Tokyo recently, was quick to congratulate Wozniacki on finishing as number one for a second consecutive year.
"It's an incredible achievement to stay in that position for so many weeks," the Russian told reporters.
Sharapova's place in the White Group will now be taken by French alternate Marion Bartoli.
In the other White Group match Victoria Azarenka made a winning start with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of US Open champion Samantha Stosur who beat Sharapova in a late-night finish on Tuesday.
Sharapova, playing at the championships for the first time since 2007, almost missed the event due to the ankle injury and her lack of recent match practice was evident again as she let tournament debutant Li off the hook.
The Russian led 4-1 in the opening set and after seeing her lead evaporate she then moved 4-0 ahead in the tiebreak only to lose the next seven points with a run of unforced errors.
Li, who beat Sharapova in the French Open semifinals this year on her way to claiming a first grand slam singles title for an Asian-born player, moved into a 5-2 lead in the second set before an attack of the jitters almost proved costly.
Serving for the match at 5-4 Li slipped 15-40 behind as Sharapova blazed away but she held her nerve to claim victory at the first attempt when her opponent hammered a backhand return over the baseline. It was a fourth consecutive victory for the 29-year-old Li against Sharapova and could not have come at a better time after a poor run of results.
The 21-year-old Dane was locked in combat with Zvonareva when news filtered through that Russian Maria Sharapova had withdrawn from the tournament with an ankle injury following a 6-7, 4-6 defeat by China's Li Na.
World No. 2 Sharapova began the day as the only player still able to topple Wozniacki from the summit but she was clearly not herself in an error-strewn defeat before announcing that her season was over.
It meant Wozniacki's 2-6, 6-4, 3-6 defeat was immaterial as far as the rankings were concerned. But with one win and one loss in the Red Group she could still miss out on the semifinals even if she beats Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova next.
Sharapova, still bothered by the left ankle sprain she suffered in Tokyo recently, was quick to congratulate Wozniacki on finishing as number one for a second consecutive year.
"It's an incredible achievement to stay in that position for so many weeks," the Russian told reporters.
Sharapova's place in the White Group will now be taken by French alternate Marion Bartoli.
In the other White Group match Victoria Azarenka made a winning start with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of US Open champion Samantha Stosur who beat Sharapova in a late-night finish on Tuesday.
Sharapova, playing at the championships for the first time since 2007, almost missed the event due to the ankle injury and her lack of recent match practice was evident again as she let tournament debutant Li off the hook.
The Russian led 4-1 in the opening set and after seeing her lead evaporate she then moved 4-0 ahead in the tiebreak only to lose the next seven points with a run of unforced errors.
Li, who beat Sharapova in the French Open semifinals this year on her way to claiming a first grand slam singles title for an Asian-born player, moved into a 5-2 lead in the second set before an attack of the jitters almost proved costly.
Serving for the match at 5-4 Li slipped 15-40 behind as Sharapova blazed away but she held her nerve to claim victory at the first attempt when her opponent hammered a backhand return over the baseline. It was a fourth consecutive victory for the 29-year-old Li against Sharapova and could not have come at a better time after a poor run of results.
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