Skip to main content

Five burning questions heading into the WTA Finals

SINGAPORE --  The draw for the WTA Finals is out and two-time defending champion Serena Williams will look to extend her 15-match win streak at the round robin tournament in a group that includes French Open finalist Simona Halep, Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard and the winningest player on the tour this year, Ana Ivanovic.

No. 2 Maria Sharapova, who has a chance to dethrone Serena at No. 1, headlines the White Group along with Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki. 

Here's how the draw panned out. The top two players from each group will qualify for the semifinals:

Red Group

  • Serena Williams
  • Simona Halep
  • Eugenie Bouchard
  • Ana Ivanovic

White Group

  • Maria Sharapova
  • Petra Kvitova
  • Agnieszka Radwanska
  • Caroline Wozniacki​

Who will finish the season at No. 1?

The battle for No. 1 comes down to No. 1 Serena and No. 2 Sharapova. Sharapova is trying to finish a season at No. 1 for the first time in her career, which would be an incredible achievement given the shoulder injury that ended her season last year and ruled her out of the U.S. Open and WTA Finals.

Here are the scenarios:

  • Serena can clinch the No. 1 ranking if she goes 3-0 in round robin play and makes the final.
  • Serena can clinch the No. 1 ranking if she makes the final with a 2-1 record in round robin play and Sharapova loses at least one round robin match.
  • If Serena goes 1-2 in round robin play, then Sharapova needs to reach the final with 2-1 round robin record or win the title to have a chance.
  • If Serena goes 2-1 in round robin play, then Sharapova needs to reach the final with 3-0 round robin record or win the title to have a chance.
  • If Serena goes 3-0 in round robin play, then Sharapova needs to win the title and not see Serena reach the final to have a chance.

Who's healthy?

Serena withdrew from the China Open three weeks ago with a knee injury and flew back to Europe to get it treated. Ivanovic, Bouchard and Halep have all been playing through injuries that forced them to retire from their final regular season tournaments. Kvitova played through a hamstring injury in Asia. You have to think the few weeks they've had off was enough time to heal up.

What are the most anticipated matches? 

In the Red Group, Serena will face off against both Halep and Bouchard for the first time this season. She's never lost to either woman but she also hasn't played them during their abrupt ascent through the rankings. Halep has the all-court game that can force Serena to work hard for every point, while Bouchard's all out aggression, when it's on, can make any opponent feel rushed and uncomfortable.

51948193.jpg
56621410.jpg
71316242.jpg
71690564.jpg
74378607.jpg
76483330.jpg
79138842.jpg
79184890.jpg
81460509.jpg
opf5-6301.JPG
82556219.jpg
84382199.jpg
87947207.jpg
88714295.jpg
91185683.jpg
98042101.jpg
104709130.jpg
108105760.jpg
121213382.jpg
138886328.jpg
op5p-11435-mid.JPG
159481111.jpg
167528472.jpg
462735151.jpg
494321563.jpg
454292674.jpg

In the White Group it's all about Sharapova vs. Kvitova. Theirs has been an interesting rivalry over the years. Since Kvitova's breakout year in 2011, where she beat Sharapova in the Wimbledon final to win her maiden Slam, Sharapova seems on a mission to never lose to her again. The Russian has won their last five meetings, most recently in the final of the China Open, which she won 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. This will be their first match on indoor hard court, which Kvitova thrives on.

Who will get out of the Red Group?

Assuming Serena is healthy, she seems a lock to get out of the Red Group. The battle for the other spot between Bouchard, Halep and Ivanovic is the tougher one to call. On the numbers you have to like Bouchard's chances, though she hasn't played her best since making the Wimbledon final. She's 1-1 against Halep and 2-0 against Ivanovic. Much like Bouchard, Halep hasn't been her best since Wimbledon, but she's 2-0 in completed matches against Ivanovic. As for Ivanovic, she played well through the Asian swing, winning the Tokyo Open and making the semifinals at the China Open. She definitely has the edge on confidence.

Who will get out of the White Group?

Sharapova is coming into the tournament off her big win at the China Open, while Kvitova finished her regular season with an 8-1 record, winning the Wuhan Open and losing to Sharapova in the final in Beijing. They're the obvious front-runners to qualify for the semifinals, especially given Radwanska's struggles since winning the Rogers Cup over the summer (she's 6-5 since).

71397381_0.jpg
73538587_0.jpg
77003151_0.jpg
80300109_0.jpg
81221559_0.jpg
83083429_0.jpg
85621182_0.jpg
87243233_0.jpg
88681337_0.jpg
88741059_0.jpg
90257413_0.jpg
90715336_0.jpg
92424268_0.jpg
95663686_0.jpg
95881256_0.jpg
102432480_0.jpg
103928691_0.jpg
106974653_0.jpg
108136641_0.jpg
108136543_0.jpg
110067606_0.jpg
114477856_0.jpg
114639929_0.jpg
117081475_0.jpg
124137887_0.jpg
136388426_0.jpg
137174278_0.jpg
2012 aus open_0.jpg
145485307_0.jpg
147165886_0.jpg
149684174_0.jpg
150886205_0.jpg
152826428_0.jpg
158824856_0.jpg
wimby 2013_0.jpg
179040160_0.jpg
462887201_0.jpg
462514181_0.jpg
470924561_0.jpg
450921962_0.jpg
451306660_0.jpg
454699406_0.jpg

But Wozniacki is more than capable of playing the spoiler. She played one of the best hard court matches of her career to beat Sharapova in the U.S. Open quarterfinals, and she's 4-4 against Kvitova, though this will be their first meeting of the year.