WTA Finals

Mondays with Bob Greene

 

STARS

Agnieszka Radwanska beat Petra Kvitova 6-2 4-6 6-3 to win the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore in Singapore

Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 6-5 5-7 6-3 to win the Swiss Indoors in Basel, Switzerland

Joao Sousa beat Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6 6-3 6-4 to win the Valencia Open in Valencia, Spain

Hsieh Su-Wei beat Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (5) 2-6 6-2 to win the $100,000 Nanjing ITF in Nanjing, China

Thiemo de Bakker beat Victor Estrella Burgos 7-6 (1) 4-6 6-3 to win the Monterrey Open in Monterrey, Mexico

Monica Niculescu beat Pauline Parmentier 7-5 6-2 to win the Internationaux Féminins de la Vienne in Poitiers, France

 

DAVIS CUP

Group I Second-round Playoffs

Americas Zone: Barbados beat Uruguay 3-2 at St. Michael, Barbados

Europe Africa Zone: Sweden beat Denmark 3-2 at Slagelse, Denmark; Slovenia beat Lithuania 5-0 at Kranj, Slovenia

 

SAYING

“It means everything. It couldn’t be any better. I think that was the biggest day in my life.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, after winning the season-ending BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore

“I think I played really well in the second (set) when I came back and tried to push her a little bit and tried to play my game and not make the mistakes I had in the first set. I just couldn’t really continue in the third and I think Aga played a little bit better at the end of the third set as well.” – Petra Kvitova.

“After all the matches and big finals we’ve played over the years, to have a final here in Basel was amazing for the crowd and for me personally. To come through and win was very special.” – Roger Federer, following his victory over Rafael Nadal in the Swiss Open final.

“He played too well and I didn’t play bad either. It was a positive final for me – I lost but I was very close to the win.” – Rafael Nadal.

“It’s incredible. I feel like it was a perfect day. – Martina Hingis, after she and Sania Mirza won the doubles in Singapore.

“On court, off court, we have a lot of fun. To play in tournaments like this is what we’ve fought all our lives for and it’s incredible to play in front of a packed stadium. We feel very fortunate. We’ve done some amazing things together and it’s the perfect way to end the year for us.” – Sania Mirza.

“I was done. No energy anymore. I was tired.” – Simona Halep, after losing her second straight round-robin match in Singapore.

“I think I’m making better choices … wait for the perfect ball to really attack. You have to be aggressive, but in a good way, making good choices.” – Garbiñe Muguruza.

“It’s always tough to sit after a match and say you’re happy, especially after you lose it. But it would be quite unprofessional of me to not take a lot of positives out of this week.” – Maria Sharapova, after losing her semifinal match following a 3-0 round-robin record.

“I feel weird. It’s really tough to describe.” – Petra Kvitova, explaining her lethargic play in her first round-robin match.

“Well, I feel like everyone else on tour: I work hard, I give my best. As long as you continue to work and believe in yourself, you’re going to have results.” – Venus Williams, who played her first WTA match in October 1994 – 21 years ago.

“Actually I think I had a good year this year. Ups and downs, but it was OK. I will finish number two or three in the world, so it’s pretty good for me.” – Simona Halep.

“It’s never been the easiest road, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not a road worth travelling.” – Venus Williams.

 

SWISS MAESTRO

After 3½ years, it was finally Roger Federer who came out on top. Federer beat arch-rival Rafael Nadal for only the 11^th time in their 34 meetings, but this one came on Federer’s home court in Basel, Switzerland. “This was my best victory in Basel, considering everything I’ve done throughout my career here,” said Federer, who won the Swiss Open for a seventh time. “It was a big match for me, probably more than for him.” Federer and Nadal last met in the Australian Open semifinals nearly two years ago and played their last final in Rome in 2013. It was Federer’s first win over Nadal since Indian Wells, California, USA, in 2013 and snapped a five-game Nadal string. The victory was Federer’s 88th and boosted his season record to 58-9. Despite the loss, it was one of the year’s best performances by the left-handed Spaniard. “A few small things made the difference, like one game in the third set,” Nadal said. “I was not very far away … Losing on the surface where I’ve only beaten Roger once, and playing well at his home is all good news for me. My goal is to be competitive against the top players again.” Basel is the fifth tour event at which Federer has won at least seven times. He has won eight career titles at Halle, Germany, and seven at Wimbledon, Basel, Cincinnati and Dubai,

 

SINGAPORE STAR

Playing almost flawless tennis, Agnieszka Radwanska finished the year by winning the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore, outlasting Petra Kvitova in the finale. “A few weeks ago I didn’t even know I would be here,” Radwanska said in the courtside interview. She became the first player in history to capture the crown after compiling a 1-2 record in the round-robin portion of the event, losing to Maria Sharapova and US Open champion Flavia Pennetta. But by beating top-seeded Simona Halep and getting help from Sharapova, Radwanska made it to the semifinals where she upset Garbiñe Muguruza in three sets. Then came Kvitova, who knocked off Sharapova in the semifinals. “I was doing the right thing in the important moments of a really close match,” Radwanska said of her victory over her Czech opponent. “I had my chances in the second set, but it doesn’t really matter how I won. It means the world to me.” Playing a stellar counter-punching game, Radwanska built a 6-2 2-0 lead before Kvitova found the range. The left-hander then won eight of the next 10 games to level the match at a set apiece and build a 2-0 led in the deciding set. Radwanska, however, went on streak of her own, winning six of the next seven games to capture the title.

 

SOUSA TRIUMPHANT

Portugal’s Joao Sousa won his second career ATP World Tour title by stopping Roberto Bautista in the Valencia Open final. It was Sousa’s first title in four final appearances this year. “I’ve been based in Spain since I was 15 years old, so in a way I feel a bit at home here and it’s great to be able to win this title here and in front of my family, who I had no idea was going to come,” Sousa said. “They drove 10 hours from Portugal to be here today.” Bautista Agut, playing in front of his home crowd, lost in the final for the second straight week. He also was runner-up a week ago in Moscow. “I was playing very well, a set and 3-2, had a ball for 4-2 in the second,” the Spaniard said. “Unfortunately my intensity went down and I was very tired in the third set. … It’s been a long season and obviously this has affected my performance today.”

 

SENT PACKING?

According to the tournament director, Juan Carlos Ferrero, the Valencia Open will not be held next year because of a dispute between the organizers of the indoor hard court event and the regional government. Ferrero, who won the French Open in 2003, said his group was considering renting or selling to another city the license for the event, which has been held annually since 2003. “We feel we have been deceived,” Ferrero said. “In 2014, there was an accord with the previous administration and it was not honored and we feel deeply deceived by the new government. It’s not state aid or a subsidy. It’s a commercial agreement, an accord that benefits the administration financially. This tournament was a gift for the Valencia residents, but we have to move on. I am very upset. It was me who bought the tournament many years ago with the understanding it would have a future.”

 

SET FOR BOTH

Andy Murray says he plans on playing the World Tour Finals in London and the Davis Cup final against Belgium. There had been rumors that Murray might skip the elite eight-player event because it is played on a different surface than the one being used when Great Britain takes on Belgium the following week in the Davis Cup final. “My intention is to play at the O2,” Murray said, referring to the London arena. Murray is playing this week at the Paris Masters, which will be played on a similar hard court as to that used in the ATP World Tour Finals. The Davis Cup final will be played on clay. Murray said he intends to train on both hard court and clay in the next two weeks.

 

SANIA AND MARTINA

They are ranked number one in the world and were officially crowned the best doubles team in 2015. Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza showed why when they easily won the doubles at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore, dominating Garbiñe Muguruza and Carla Suárez Navarro 6-0 6-3. Now unbeaten in their last 22 matches, Hingis and Mirza have won nine titles since teaming up earlier this year. “Sania just played out of her mind. She was everywhere today – on her side, behind me,” Hingis said. “It’s about choosing the right partner.” It was Mirza who unleashed a forehand to break Muguruza in the second game of the match. And a backhand volley by Mirza was the key to another service break.

 

SHARAPOVA IS BACK

Maria Sharapova was just happy to be back playing again. And she made a big impression at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore, rolling through the round-robin portion of the year-ending event undefeated before falling in the semifinals to Petra Kvitova. “I was able to play quite physical matches and get through them,” said Sharapova, who was playing for the first time since Wimbledon. “I think that was something that I wasn’t sure of coming into this week because I hadn’t played a lot.” The Russian, sidelined with leg and arm ailments, saw her ranking drop for second in the world to number four. Yet some observers felt she was the player to beat since top-ranked Serena Williams had skipped the elite event because of her own ailments. “I didn’t have expectations coming into this week,” Sharapova said. She led 5-1 in the second set before Kvitova ripped five straight games and won 6-3 7-6 (3). “I felt like I took my foot off the gas,” Sharapova said. “I gave her more time, more angles, and she took advantage.”

Sharapova and Kvitova will more than likely meet again next week when Russia travels to the Czech Republic for the Fed Cup final.

 

STRUGGLING SIMONA

Simona Halep says she simply ran out of energy at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore. Top-seeded in the year-ending tournament because of the absence of top-ranked Serena Williams, Halep lost in straight sets to eventual champion Agnieszka Radwanska 7-6 (5) 6-1, her second round-robin loss and ending her bid for the title. Halep led the tiebreak 5-1, only to have Radwanska win the next six points and the set. “I felt that I lost the chance to win the first set and probably I lost the chance to win the match in that moment,” said Halep. “My coach was telling me many things, but I couldn’t hear because I was done and I was very nervous there. But, you know, it’s good that happened. Next time I will know that if I’m not well-prepared physically, I have just to do something else on court.” While Halep won the biggest title of her career at Indian Wells, California, USA, in May, she suffered a second-round loss at the French Open, which the Romanian said was the biggest disappointment of her year. “I’m happy with my year,” she said. “I just want to take the holiday now. I don’t want to think about tennis anymore. Then I will be stronger.”

 

STOPPING SOMETIME

According to Flavia Pennetta, losing to Maria Sharapova at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals in Singapore was the “perfect: way to end her career. Of course, the 33-year-old Italian announced her retirement when she won the US Open in September. That made her the oldest first-time Grand Slam tournament winner. Then she played in order to gain enough points to qualify for the elite eight-player field in the season-ending event. But after losing to Sharapova, she told reporters: “Right now I feel like it’s not my last match. I feel normal completely. I don’t know why. Maybe in a few days I will feel more the difference. Right now it’s so far so good.”

 

SUPERB SENIORS

Martina Navratilova is still a champion. The veteran left-hander won the WTA Legends Classic, defeating fellow Legends Tracy Austin, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and Marion Bartoli in an innovative doubles format. Although Navratilova tied Sánchez-Vicario and Austin in matches on and lost, the American won the most games of the week. Other legends participating in activities during the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore tournament were Mary Pierce and Li Na.

 

SIGNED UP

The 2016 Hopman Cup field will have its highest-ranked field yet. The women’s top-ranked player, Serena Williams, and men’s world number two, Andy Murray, both have agreed to play in the exhibition. Eight players will be making their Hopman Cup debut: Gael Monfils and Caroline Garcia for France; Nick Kyrgios representing Australia; Alexandr Dolgopolov and Elina Svitolina for Ukraine; Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic; Alexander Zverev of Germany, and American Jack Sock. For the first time in Hopman Cup history, Australia will field two teams in the January 3-9 competition. The field includes: Australia Gold: Lleyton Hewitt and Casey Dellacqua; Australia Green: Kyrgios and a female player to be announced; Czech Republic: Vesely and Lucie Safarova; France: Monfils and Garcia; Germany: Zverev and Sabine Lisicki; Great Britain: Murray and Heather Watson; Ukraine: Dolgopolov and Svitolina; and the United States: Serena Williams and Sock.

 

STEPPING UP

As expected, Lleyton Hewitt is the new captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team. The two-time Grand Slam tournament champion and former world number one is taking over for interim skipper Wally Masur. Hewitt will retire after playing in his 20^th consecutive Australian Open in January. The 34-year-old will become the youngest Australian Davis Cup captain since World War II. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work under some of the greatest Davis Cup captains in history,” said Hewitt, who played in 40 ties over a record 17 years. His captains included Australian tennis greats Neale Fraser, John Newcombe and Pat Rafter. “For me, it’s about instilling my experience in these younger guys,” said Hewitt, who will lead a team that includes Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.

 

SAD NEWS

Patricia Canning Todd, who won four Grand Slam tournament titles in the 1940s, is dead at the age of 93. Her son, Whitney, confirmed Todd died in September in Encinitas, California, USA. Todd won the singles at the French Championships in 1947, defeating Doris Hart. The two then teamed to win the Wimbledon doubles that year.  In 1948, Todd reached the semifinals at Paris only to be disqualified for refusing to play on an outside court. “I told the committee yesterday I would play only on center court,” Todd was quoted as saying by United Press. “I’m the defending champion, and I don’t see why I can’t play in center court instead of another women’s singles match.” The French Lawn Tennis Association declared that Todd had forfeited the match to Nelly Landry of France, who went on to win the title. Despite the disqualification, she won the French women’s doubles with Hart and the mixed doubles with Jaroslav Drobny. She also reached the final in Paris in 1950, losing to Hart. Born in San Francisco, California, Mary Patricia Canning met Richard Bradburn Todd while playing at the United States Nationals in Forest Hills, New York. They married on Christmas Day 1941 and Todd gave birth to their daughter Patricia in 1943. She was married and a mother for most of her professional career, a rarity in the 1940s and 1950s. In addition to her son, she is survived by her daughter, Patricia Higley, a grandson and a great-grandson.

 

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Basel: Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares beat Jamie Murray and John Peers 7-5 7-5

Monterrey: Thiemo de Bakker and Mark Vervoort beat Paolo Lorenzi and Mark Vervoort by walkover

Nanjing: Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi beat Chan Chin-Wei and Zhang Kai-Lin 7-5 6-7 (7) 10-7 (match tiebreak)

Poitiers: Andeea Mitu and Monica Niculescu beat Stephanie Foretz and Amandine Hesse 6-7 (5) 7-6 (2) 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Singapore: Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza beat Garbiñe Muguruza and Carla Suárez Navarro 6-0 6-3

Valencia: Eric Butorac and Scott Lipsky beat Feliciano Lopez and Max Mirnyi 7-6 (4) 6-3

 

SURFING

Paris: www.bnpparibasmasters.com/

 

Zhuhai: www.wtaelitetrophy.com/

Hua Hin: http://worldtennisthailand.com/

Bratislava: www.stz.sk/

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com

 

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$4,219,260 BNP Paribas Masters Paris, Paris, France, hard

$125,000 World Tennis Thailand Championships, Hua Hin, Thailand, hard

 

WOMEN

$2,150,000 Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, Zhuhai, China, hard

 

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$100,000 Peugeot Slovak Open, Bratislava, Slovakia, hard

 

FED CUP

Nov. 14-15

(Final)

Czech Republic vs. Russia at Prague, Czech Republic, hard