Maria Sharapova Qualifies To Play In The WTA Finals In Singapore for eighth time in her career, winning the title in 2004

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced today that current world No.3 Maria Sharapova has qualified for this year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore. She joins Serena Williams and Simona Halep in the singles field of eight, with five more spots yet to be determined.

Sharapova is set to make her eighth appearance at the WTA Finals, after winning the title in her debut appearance in 2004. The Russian fan-favorite also reached the final in 2007 and 2012 and the semifinals in 2005 and 2006. She has advanced out of the group stage in five out of her seven previous appearances.

“Maria’s return to the WTA Finals is fantastic for our fans. Last year during the inaugural BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, the Singapore fans loved Maria’s exciting performances on court and her inspirational moments engaging with young fans” said Stacey Allaster, WTA Chairman and CEO. “Maria is a consummate professional on the WTA and we are thrilled to once again welcome her back to Singapore to be part of an exciting 2015 season finale.”

Sharapova has earned her spot at the WTA Finals due to her success this year, which includes two WTA titles at the Brisbane International and Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and a finals appearance at the Australian Open. She also reached three semifinals this year at Wimbledon, the Mutua Madrid Open and Abierto Mexicano TELCEL in Acapulco.

“I’m very excited to return to the WTA Finals for the eighth time in my career,” said Sharapova. “I have had great success at the WTA Finals in the past and I can’t wait to get back to Singapore and compete. The fans are incredible and I am looking forward to their support.”

Maria Sharapova of Russia in action against Samantha Stosur of Australia during their third round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 29 May 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT

Staged at the Singapore Sports Hub from October 23-November 1 in partnership with World Sport Group (WSG), Singapore Tourism Board and Sport Singapore, the 2015 WTA Finals features the top 8 singles players competing for one of the most prestigious trophies in women’s tennis, the Billie Jean King Trophy, while the top 8 doubles teams will compete for the Martina Navratilova WTA Finals Doubles Trophy. With a record $7 million in prize money on the line, the round-robin singles competition will be the highlight of a 10-day tennis festival that will also include the WTA Legends Classic, WTA Rising Stars Invitational and a WTA Future Stars event.

Here is the current Road to Singapore Singles Leaderboard (as of Monday, August 31):

RANK        PLAYER

1.               Serena Williams (USA) – Qualified

2.               Simona Halep (ROU) – Qualified

3.               Maria Sharapova (RUS) – Qualified

4.               Lucie Safarova (CZE)

5.               Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

6.               Petra Kvitova (CZE)

7.               Angelique Kerber (GER)

8.               Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

9.               Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)

10.             Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

The leaderboard is updated each Monday (every two weeks during Grand Slam events) and can be found at www.wtafinals.com.

Last year, new milestones were set at the WTA Finals with record highs for attendance, TV viewing and online audiences as fans from around the world traveled to Singapore and tuned in to the exciting 10-day sport entertainment extravaganza showcasing the world’s best female athletes. The event attracted 129,000 spectators, including 93,000 fans who attended matches at the Singapore Sports Hub, through the 10 days of on- and off- court sport and entertainment in the stadium, as well as the fan festival which offered free access to the public.

In 2015, fans and spectators of the WTA Finals can expect the WTA to amplify engagement efforts by building a deeper connection with the fan base, delivering richer, more compelling digital content and creating money- can’t-buy experiences – all in an effort to become the most fan-friendly sport entertainment experience on earth.

1. 10sBalls_com says:

   September 11, 2015 at 5:12 pm

   -@MariaSharapova QUALIFIES TO PLAY IN THE WTA FINALS IN SINGAPORE FOR EIGHTH TIME IN HER CAREER…- http://t.co/lcd5E0NBNc #Sharapova #WTA