Garbine Muguruza got off to a winning start to her first WTA Finals beating Lucie Safarova 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the first match of the White Group. Muguruza clinched the first set with a break in the third game. safarova came back in the second set breaking serve in the first game but Muguruza reeled off three straight games from 1-3 down to take the lead with 4-3 before clinching the win with 7-4 at the tie-break.
Both players have achieved their best year so far. They reached their first Grand Slam finals (Safarova at the Roland Garros and Muguruza at Wimbledon), broke the top-10 for the first time in their careers and qualified for their first WTA Finals.
Safarova and Muguruza met only once in their careers last spring in the quarter finals at the French Open in Paris. The Czech player won that match in straight sets with 7-6 (7-3) 6-3. Safarova went to reach the final in the French capital.
Since then their season has gone very differently for the two players. Muguruza reached her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon before enjoying a great Asian Swing in which she reached the final in Wuhan before winning her biggest title so far in her career at the Premier Mandatory in Beijing. These results have made Muguruza one of the greatest favourites in Singapore. On the contrary Safarova was knocked out in the first round at the US Open before being hospitalized because of a bacterial infection. On her come back after one month she lost in the first round in Linz and Moscow.
Muguruza got to 30-30 in the opening game which went to deuce. The Spanish player did not earn any break points on Safarova’s service game. Safarova held her serve to win the first game at deuce.
At 1-1 0-30 Muguruza played brought up three break points but Safarova forced the game to deuce. Muguruza converted on her fourth break point to take a 2-1 lead. She held her serve in the next game to go up 3-1.
In another service game at deuce Safarova held her serve for 3-4, although she has to win a point on her second serve. After the first seven games Muguruza converted just one of her seven break points.
At 5-3 30-30 Muguruza hit her fourth ace and a service game to hold her serve. Safarova was unable to get a game to deuce in the first set.
In the first set Muguruza hit four aces and won 72 percent of her first service games and 88 percent of her second service games. Muguruza converted one of her break points.
At the start of the second set Safarova fought back from 15-40 to bring up her first break point of the match. Muguruza saved it with a big second serve but Safarova converted on her second break point chance to go up 1-0. Safarova held her service game to take a 2-0 lead. Muguruza held her serve in the third game for 1-2. After holding her serve in the fifth game for 2-3, Muguruza broke back to draw level to 3-3. Muguruza held her service game to win her third consecutive game to take the edge with 4-3.
Safarova fought back from 0-40 to save four break points for 4-4. Muguruza fended off two break points for 5-4 after fighting back from 15-40 down. In the tenth game Safarova held her service game to 30 to draw level to 5-5. Muguruza held her service game to 30 to go up 6-5. Safarova held her service game to draw level to 6-6 forcing the second set to the tie-break.
Muguruza hit a forehand winner to get an early mini-break for 2-0. She sent a dropshot into the net on the fourth point for 3-1. Safarova hit a forehand down the line for 2-4. The Czech player got the mini-break back with a forehand down the line. Muguruza got another mini-break to bring up two match points at 6-4. She converted her first match point when Safarova hit her forehand into the net.
“It was a very tough match. I was very nervous as it was my first time playing her in singles since the Roland Garros. In Paris she played an amaziing match I played a good match too. This time I just wanted to win so much. I was fighting and concentrating very much”, said Muguruza
After her impressive season marked by her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, her biggest title in Beijing and her first WTA Finals Muguruza has reached a new career-high on the WTA Ranking this week overtaking Maria Sharapova. Muguruza is the first player born after 1991 to break into the top 3
“It has been an incredible rise. I think you always have it in your mind that you can make good tournaments and achieve great things, otherwise it’s not going to happen”, said Muguruza.
