Angelique Kerber beats Agnieszka Radwanska to set up Singapore final against Dominika Cibulkova - UBITENNIS

Angelique Kerber beats Agnieszka Radwanska to set up Singapore final against Dominika Cibulkova

By sampaolo
6 Min Read

Angelique Kerber beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-1 in 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach her first final at the WTA Finals in Singapore, where she will face Dominika Cibulkova, who battled past Svetlana Kuznetsova 1-6 7-6 6-4.

Kerber and Radwanska met for the 12th time in their careers but it was their first clash this season. They are now tied 6-6 in their 12 head-to-head matches.

Kerber played in four editions of the WTA Finals but this was the first time she reached the semifinals at this tournament.

Kerber dropped her serve on both break points she faced (one for each set) but converted on seven of her 13 break point chances. Radwanska hit 18 winners to 28 unforced errors, as Kerber had a 17-23 ratio.

The match opened with three consecutive breaks of serve. Kerber was the first to hold serve to open up a 3-1 lead. The tennis player from Bremen earned another break point for a potential 4.1 lead in the fifth game but hit a forehand return into the middle of the net.

In the fifth game Radwanska held her serve for the first time for 2-3 Radwanska held at 30 to open up a 4-2 lead with a forehand passing shot.

Kerber got another break in the seventh game with a topspin crosscourt forehand and wrapped up the first set 6-2 by holding her serve in the final game. This year’s Australian Open and US Open champion won six of the last seven points.

In the second set Radwanska dropped her serve on all her four service games and won just 12 of her 33 points on her serve. Kerber broke in the first game of the second set, as Radwanska sailed a backhand beyond the baseline. The Pole broke back in the second game to draw level to 1-1 but Kerber broke again with a crosscourt forehand. Radwanska sailed a backhand long to drop her serve again in the fifth game. The German star clinched the third consecutive break to seal the second set 6-1.

“It’s just amazing to be here. It’s been an incredible 12 months. I have been working to being focused, to being calm and to being just positive on court and this is the biggest improvement I have made”, said Kerber.

Kerber will face Dominika Cibulkova, who rallied from one set down to edge past Svetlana Kuznetsova 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in two hours and 27 minutes.

Cibulkova met Kuznetsova for the ninth time. The Slovakian player led 6-3 in their head-to-head matches and won their last six matches.

Kuznetsova converted 8 of her 15 break points , but Cibulkova was better in her break conversion rate winning six of her 10 opportunities, including two in her final return games. Both players hit 27 winners but Kuznetsova made four more unforced errors (35 to 31).

Kuznetsova served better than Cibulkova in the first set and dropped just six points on serve. She converted on three of her five break point chances and did not face any break points. Cibulkova served at only 42 percent and dropped her serve for the third time in a row in the final game when she sent her forehand long after 33 minutes.

Cibulkova bounced back in the second set. Kuznetsova opened the second set with two love service games. Cibulkova broke serve in the fifth game after a poor volley from Kuznetsova at the net. Kuznetsova earned a break-back point with a lob and converted her chance to draw level to 3-3. Cibulkova broke twice and had two chances to serve for the set at 5-4 and 6-5 but Kuznetsova broke back both times to force the second set to the tie-break. Cibulkova took three mini-breaks and closed out the tie-break 7.2 with a backhand cross-court winner to force the match to the third set.

Cibulkova broke serve for the third consecutive time to take a 2.0 lead at the start of the decider. Kuznetsova fought back by winning four games in a row to build up a 4-2 lead. Cibulkova held serve in the seventh game before breaking back to draw level to 4-4. Cibulkova saved two break points in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. Kuznetsova served to stay in the match but dropped her serve for the second consecutive time to lose a dramatic match.

Kerber leads 5-4 in her nine head-to-head matches against Cibulkova and won five times in a row. They have already met in the first round-robin match last Sunday when Kerber battled past her Slovakian rival 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6.3 last Sunday. In that match Kerber won five of the last six games.

“I think it will be a good match. We are both in the finals. I think I have to play one of the best tennis matches to beat hera gain. I know I have to play my game. I will just try to enjoy the final and win the match tomorrow”, said Kerber.

 

 

 

 

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