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Williams will end 2014 as world No1 after Sharapova crashes out of Finals despite win

Williams will end 2014 as world No1 after Sharapova crashes out of Finals despite win

Serena Williams will finish 2014 as the number one player in women’s tennis after ​Maria Sharapova crashed out of the WTA Finals despite beating Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 in today’s first match in Singapore.

Sharapova needed a straight sets win to keep her chances of world domination alive but a second-set meltdown, which allowed Radwanska to climb back from 1-5 down to take the set in a tiebreak, ended the Russian’s challenge.

The result allows Williams to clinch the year-end No1 ranking for a fourth time in her career, having done so previously in 2002, 2009 and 2013.

Today’s match had a bizarre start with the first four games going against serve before Radwanska finally held in the fifth.

The Pole was creating more break point opportunities than Sharapova, who was broken while serving for the opening set at 5-4 but regained the advantage and held to love the second time around, taking the set with an uncharacteristic lob winner.

Sharapova broke twice to open up a 4-0 gap in the second set. The Russian got steadier on her own serve while Radwanska was clearly struggling. Still, the world No6 didn’t go down without a fight, saving two match points in game seven to force Sharapova to serve out the clash.

And she didn’t stop there. In a similar scenario to the first set, Radwanska broke to give herself a lifeline and shorten the gap to 3-5.

A comedic series of points, where Sharapova sent erratic forehands wide and Radwanska missed an easy overhead made for an entertaining ninth game of the set.

The Russian got a third match point but some incredible defence from Radwanska wore down the Sharapova backhand and the ex-Wimbledon runner-up held serve.

In a confounding turn of events, Radwanska broke Sharapova again, leveling the set at 5-all before winning a fifth game in a row to edge ahead 6-5.

It was Sharapova’s turn to serve to keep her chances alive in the tournament and with the help of a lucky net cord, the 2004 champion held to force a tiebreak.

But Radwanksa took the breaker on a Sharapova double fault.

Radwanska’s heroic comeback ended her opponent’s hopes WTA Finals hopes, but Sharapova continued to fight for the win and she broke for a 4-2 lead in the decider and got her first match point of the set and the fourth of the encounter in game eight.

She fired an inside out forehand return winner to seal the match, making sure that she at least ended her season with a victory.

"I got the job done. I know I'm not moving forward, but I'm proud of that effort and to finish the year off on this way," said Sharapova.

Later on centre court, Caroline Wozniacki did her friend Radwanska a favour by easily dispatching Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-3. Only a Wozniacki win would have sent Radwanska through to the semi-finals and the ex-world No1 made sure she did not disappoint her pal of 15 years.

Wozniacki moved into the last four as winner of the White Group with three wins from three matches while Radwanska joined her as group runner-up with one victory and two losses.


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