TENNIS WTA CINCINNATI – It took three sets, like in their previous encounter last week in Montreal, but the result did not change and Serena Williams defeated once again Caroline Wozniacki to secure the fifth final of the season, 2-6 6-2 6-4 the final score.
It was not a good match for the world number one, but it was not the best of the days for the Dane either, who, similarly to last week, seemed unable to give the final push to capture the win against her friend.
Wozniacki started the match looking very sharp, strong of the confidence of the two consecutive top 10 wins taken this week (the first since last year here in Cincinnati) and by playing a very solid and effective set, she managed to force Williams to many errors.
For the last year’s finalist, it looked as if the chances were very slim, after the Dane broke her for the third time in order to close the first set.
However, in the second set the Dane’s level dropped and contemporaneously Williams started to reduce her errors and impose her rhythm, which fast led to one set all.
The third set failed to provide any remarkable lift in the quality, though credits are due to Wozniacki, who tried and found a timid reaction from 5-2 down, which led to two consecutive games, but at her second chance, Williams found her serve right in time to close a complicated match.
The big hug and talk at the net between the two clearly summarize the difficulty both players have when playing against each other, given the strong friendship that unites them. It appeared very clear especially on the Dane’s side of the net, as she failed to take her chances despite appearing to be the better player for a set (and a set and a half last week).
For sure, the world number one will provide a much better quality in her next match, also given the fact that Cincinnati is one of the few titles missing in her showcase.
