WTA Finals Live: Garbine Muguruza has reportedly qualified for the semifinals of WTA Finals on Monday with a win over Anett Kontaveit in straight sets. While Karolina Pliskova made an early exit from the tournament despite winning final round match against Barbora Krejcikova in a three-set thriller. Garbine Muguruza will face compatriot Paula Badosa in the semifinal. Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari will lock horns against each other on Tuesday for last semifinal spot. Follow live updates of WTA Finals on InsideSport.
WTA Finals Live: Sabalenka, Sakkari, Pliskova, Muguruza to eye semifinal berths in round 3 – Follow live updates
Garbine Muguruza advance, Karolina Pliskova knocked out
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza reached the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico, after beating Anett Kontaveit, while Karolina Pliskova missed the cut despite her comeback victory over Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday.
Muguruza ended Kontaveit’s 12-match winning streak with a 6-4 6-4 win over the Estonian, booking a spot in the knockout stage for the first time since her tournament debut in 2015.
Muguruza won a remarkable 80% of her first serve points and fired seven aces in Sunday’s victory as she finished second in the “Teotihuacan Group” behind Kontaveit, with both posting a 2-1 record.
“Today was a match that was kind of everything or nothing,” Muguruza told reporters. “Starting the round-robin with a loss, it was never good. To finally get two wins and qualify was amazing.”
Two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza will face compatriot Paula Badosa in Tuesday’s semi-final. The winner of the contest will be the first Spanish woman to reach the final since Arantxa Sanchez Vicario finished runner-up in 1993.
“I didn’t know all of this history,” Muguruza said. “1993, I was born that year.
“It’s amazing that there are four players left and two of them are Spaniards. That just shows that Spain has a great level of tennis.”
Earlier, Pliskova came out on top in an all-Czech showdown, storming back to stun compatriot Krejcikova 0-6 6-4 6-4.
Despite the win, Pliskova failed to reach the semi-finals as she finished third in the group, with Kontaveit and Muguruza advancing as the top two. Second-seeded Krejcikova ended bottom after losing all three matches.
The WTA Finals divides the top eight players into two groups of four, with each player competing in three matches. The top two from each group advance to the semi-finals.
“The first game was super long and I somehow lost my focus and of course I was a bit nervous to play a Czech woman,” Pliskova said after the match.
“It wasn’t easy at all, at some point I thought it is almost over in the second when she broke me to go up 4-2. I am proud that I kind of stayed there and fought for it.”
Having never taken a set off Pliskova in two career meetings, Krejcikova quickly took care of that little bit of business with the French Open champion steamrolling through the opener in just 26 minutes.
Pliskova committed 12 unforced errors in the opening set but the former world number one steadied herself in the second. She still found herself in a hole when Krejcikova grabbed an early break on her way to a 4-2 lead.
With her opponent on the ropes, Krejcikova could not deliver the knockout blow as Pliskova dug deep sweeping the next four games to level the contest.
Pliskova’s powerful serves and pinpoint forehands helped her fend off break points at 2-2 and 4-4 before she completed her comeback in a closely contested decider.
Iga Swiatek vs Paula Badosa LIVE
- Iga Swiatek will take on Paula Badosa in her final round-robin match on Tuesday. Both the players have met each other once, with Badosa leading 1-0.
- Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek is out of the semifinal race of the WTA Finals after losing two consecutive matches in the round-robin. In the opening match, Swiatek lost to Maria Sakkari in straight sets. In the following match, the 20-year-old was defeated by World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. Paula Badosa will look to remain unbeaten in the round-robin.
- Paula Badosa is through the semifinals after winning two round-robin matches on the trot. Badosa won the opening round by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Later, she went on to defeat Greek tennis player Maria Sakkari in the second round-robin match.
- Paula Badosa has qualified for the semifinals of WTA Finals in her debut appearance alongside Anett Kontaveit.
Date and Time (IST): 16th November, 1:30 am
Aryna Sabalenka vs Maria Sakkari LIVE
- Aryna Sabalenka will lock horns against Maria Sakkari in the final round-robin match as both players fight for the semifinals spot. Both the players have faced off five times in their careers, with Sabalenka winning on four occasions.
- World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka began her WTA Finals campaign by losing to Paula Badosa in straight sets. However, Sabalenka bounced back and recorded her first win of WTA year-end by defeating former French Open champion, Iga Swiatek.
- While Maria Sakkari began her campaign with a win over Iga Swiatek in straight sets. Nonetheless, The 26-year-old lost the second round-robin match to Paula Badosa in straight sets.
- Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari will eye for the semifinals berth of the WTA Finals for the first time.
Date and Time (IST): 16th November, 7:00 am
WTA Finals Live: Sabalenka, Sakkari, Pliskova, Muguruza to eye semifinal berths in round 3 – Follow live updates
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