Serena Williams and Simona Halep Win 2014 WTA Finals Opener
The round robin matches for the red group in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Singapore has started. Serena Williams and Simona Halep won their opening matches.
Williams defeated Ana Ivanovic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4 on Oct. 20. It was Williams' 16th consecutive victory in the tournament. Williams easily went with a 4-1 lead but Ivanovic was able to even the score. Ivanovic scored again 5-4 but committed double faults in the final game for the American to seal the victory in the first set. The Serbian athlete again broke in the second set, but Williams regained her rhythm to ultimately win the match.
Williams better her career record against Ivanovic to 8-1. The pair's last meeting prior the WTA Finals was in the championship round of the 2014 Cincinnati Masters, where Williams won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
Williams, who had pulled out in the middle of Beijing tournament due to a knee injury, has said via WTA's official website that she still felt a little pain in her knee but it wasn't that big of a deal compared to what she felt back in Beijing.
"I'm getting better, which is great," Williams said. "I just have to keep doing my program so that by the end of the tournament, if I'm still here, it'll still be getting better."
Halep, on the other hand, defeated Eugenie Bouchard of Canada, 6-2, 6-3. It was a meeting between the two neophytes in the WTA Finals. Halep was in control all throughout the match, committing only 11 unforced errors compared to Bouchard's 30.
Halep praised Bouchard for being a great opponent and said that the Canadian will soon find her name on top of the world rankings.
"She's very young and she'll be at the top soon," Halep said.
Halep and Williams will meet on Oct. 22. Bouchard will play against Ivanovic on the same day.
Meanwhile, the matches for the white group led by Maria Sharapova are underway. Sharapova was slated to play against Caroline Wozniacki. Wimbledon champion Czech athlete Petra Kvitova was lined up to face Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
