Defeat hurt Russians chance of ending the season on number 1 ranking
Caroline Wozniacki overcame Maria Sharapova 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2. during the WTA finals in Singapore. Photo: AP
Singapore: Maria Sharapova’s chances of claiming the season-ending No.1 ranking were hurt on Tuesday after a 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 2-6 loss to Caroline Wozniacki at the WTA Finals in Singapore on Tuesday.
The match included 12 breaks of serve. Wozniacki beat Sharapova for the second straight time. The Dane also won in the fourth round of this year’s US Open.
Sharapova needs to at least reach the final in Singapore to have a chance of overtaking Serena Williams and finishing the season with the top ranking for the first time.
After forcing the tiebreaker in the first set, Wozniacki trailed 4-2 but won five straight points to take the set.Wozniacki went up a break early in the second, but relinquished the advantage in the sixth game as she complained to the chair umpire about swirling lights which suddenly came on mid-point and remained on for the rest of the game, disrupting her concentration.
The former World No.1 Dane recovered quickly after dropping the set, however, breaking Sharapova early in the third and then again to end it.
All four of Sharapova’s titles in 2014 required three sets, but it was Wozniacki that had held on for victory this time.
Robredo ousts Isner in Valencia
Meanwhile in Valencia, Fifth seed John Isner crashed out of the Valencia Open in the first round to Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Tuesday.
The American, who has only won two matches in four visits to Valencia, lost the opening set on a tiebreak after neither man could make an impact on the other’s serve.
And World No.21 Robredo got the all-important break in the penultimate game of the match before serving it out for a first win over Isner in four attempts. France’s Gilles Simon was another seed to fall as he lost to Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 0-6, 3-6.
( Source : agencies )
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