Serena ends 2014 as number one, Sharapova bows out

American superstar makes it to WTA Finals last four courtesy Halep win

SINGAPORE: Serena Williams reached the WTA Finals semi-finals and was crowned year-end world number one without picking up a racquet yesterday when results went her way at the season finale in Singapore.

The four-time champion was in stark danger of crashing out but earned a reprieve when Simona Halep, her tormentor in a crushing 6-0, 6-2 defeat earlier this week, won a set against Ana Ivanovic.

And the stars aligned further for the 18-time grand slam-winner when world number two Maria Sharapova made an early exit — ending her chances of overtaking the American in the year's final rankings. Caroline Wozniacki stormed past Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-3 to set up a semi-final against Serena today, while Halep will play Agnieszka Radwanska in the last four.

Ivanovic departs despite beating Halep 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-3, while Sharapova also leaves with her head held high after rallying for a 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 win over Radwanska.

Under complex round-robin calculations, Sharapova needed a straight-sets victory to survive and came agonisingly close when she passed up three match points in the second set.

"I just really wanted to win this match,” said the Russian. “That was my goal; no matter how physical the match or how tough to lose that second set was, I wanted to win it.”

Victory in all group matches for Wozniacki

While Sharapova's season is over, Wozniacki's is still very much in play after a victory over Kvitova left her as the only player in the tournament to win all three group matches.

Super-fit Wozniacki, who is training for next month's New York marathon after the cancellation of her wedding to golfer Rory McIlroy, again did all the running as she beat Kvitova in 69 minutes.

The resurgent former world number one has hit a purple patch of form that has re-announced her as a force in women's tennis.

"I believe in myself and my skills,” said eighth-ranked Wozniacki, who described yesterday's win as one of her best. “I've been playing well, so I believed I could beat anyone.”

Poland's Radwanska needed Wozniacki to beat Kvitova to reach the semi-finals — a favour for which she promised to take her good friend shopping, on her credit card.

"I hope she's going to keep her promise," said Wozniacki. "She owes me a handbag. I think that's what I'm going to go for."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2014.

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