SERENA WILLIAMS CLINCHES YEAR-END NO.1

Written by: Staff on 24th October 2014

BNP Paribas WTA Finals 2014 in Singapore

SERENA WILLIAMS CLINCHES YEAR-END NO.1

epa04454961 USA's Serena Williams reacts as she plays against Serbian Ana Ivanovic during the first singles round robin match of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals 2014 at the indoor stadium in Singapore, 20 October 2014. EPA/WALLACE WOON |

By virtue of Friday’s results at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, Serena Williams has clinched the year-end World No.1 ranking, the fourth time in her career the American has finished a season at No.1 in the world after doing it in 2002, 2009 and 2013.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Singapore right here on wtatennis.com!

Maria Sharapova of Russia in action against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, during their singles round match of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals 2014 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, in Singapore, 24 October 2014. EPA/WALLACE WOON

Going into Friday, Maria Sharapova still had a slim chance of sneaking the year-end World No.1 ranking from Williams, needing to win the title and for Williams to lose before the final. In order to win the title she obviously had to make the semifinals, and to do that she needed two things to happen – she needed to beat Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets in the first match and for Caroline Wozniacki to beat Petra Kvitova in straight sets in the second match. Anything else and she was out.

Sharapova ended up coming within a point of staying alive in the tournament three times on Friday.

Having built a 7-5, 5-1 lead on Radwanska, Sharapova ended up having three match points – two at 5-1, one at 5-3 – but ended up losing the set and eventually having to win in three, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-2.

To add to all of that, Wozniacki did end up beating Kvitova in straight sets in the next match.

But Sharapova maintained her focus was just on the match, and not on any of the implications.

“I actually just wanted to go out on the court today and I wanted to get a victory,” Sharapova said afterwards. “I treat every match as if I’m going to be out in the next match, because that’s how we play on a weekly basis – we’re not always playing in a round robin format. That’s the philosophy that I have, and my mind was on trying to get a victory. And I’m very proud I did. It would’ve been very easy for me to get down on myself after having missing so many chances, but in the end I got the job done.

“I know I’m not moving forward, but I’m proud of that effort and finishing the year this way.”

Williams was not in action herself Friday, playing her three matches between Monday and Thursday.

Serena Williams of the United States in action against Eugenie Bouchard of Canada during a singles round robin match of the fourth day of the BNP Paribus WTA Finals 2014 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, 23 October 2014. EPA/WALLACE WOON

And at the end of the day, Williams has clinched year-end World No.1 for the fourth time, just the fifth player in WTA history to do it four or more times after Steffi Graf (who did it eight times), Martina Navratilova (seven times), Chris Evert (five times) and Lindsay Davenport (also four times).

Before the tournament started, at Sunday’s All Access Hour, Williams was asked about the prospects of finishing the year at No.1 again, and where that fit in her goals coming into the WTA Finals.

“I love being No.1; I love being the best. But at the same time, I’m really glad I was able to get a Slam this year, which was really annoying for me that I wasn’t able to capture one before,” she said.

“The race for year-end No.1 definitely adds an extra element of excitement, but at the end of the day, I don’t let that stress me out. I’m just happy to be here. I really didn’t think I was going to be able to come to Singapore because of my injury. And because of that, I don’t feel a great amount of pressure.

“I’m just really excited to have made it to the WTA’s biggest event at the end of the year, and I’m going to do my best and give my best, and hopefully that’ll lead me to that wonderful trophy.”

(Courtesy of the WTA – Original Link: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4242973/title/serena-clinches-year-end-no1 )

Topics: Agnieszka Radwanska, Bnp Paribas, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Serena Williams, Singapore, Tennis, Wta

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

October 24, 2014 at 12:41 pm

@serenawilliams CLINCHES YEAR-END NO.1- http://t.co/d2W9MXMsXe #tennis #WTA #Singapore #SerenaWilliams @SerenaWilliams_