WTA Oct 22-27: WTA Champ's WTA Championships, Istanbul, Turkey PREMIER $6,000,000 8RR/0q/4d indoor: hard   Free Live Video (popup) Live Scores draws: WTA: main - OOP pics: T.com - ESPN - Y! - WTA interviews Champ's qualifying standings n1 Serena Williams n2 Victoria Azarenka n4 Agnieszka Radwanska n5 Li Na n6 Petra Kvitova n7 Sara Errani n8 Jelena Jankovic n9 Angelique Kerber alternates: n10 Caroline Wozniacki n11 Sloane Stephens

tourney archive: previous tourney page     next tourney page Istanbul: #5 Na Li 5'7¾" 143lb RH 2H-BH Istanbul: #1 Serena Williams 5'9" 150lb RH 2H-BH

    On Sunday at Istanbul, in the final of the WTA Championships, the 2012 Istanbul champion (and 2013 champ at Beijing, Flushing Meadows, Toronto, Bastad, Roland Garros, Rome, Madrid, Charleston, Miami & Brisbane), 32 year old #1 Serena Williams from Palm Beach Gardens, FL, defeated the 2013 champion at Shenzhen (and 2011 French Open champ), 31 year old #5 (career high: #4) Na Li from Wuhan, Hubei, China, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 (Na is shown during the match; Serena is shown holding the hardware afterward).

    Serena's prize is $2,145,000; Na's prize is $1,090,000.

    Serena started the match serving below her ususal speed, but wound up striking 6 aces with 4 double faults (Na: 1 ace, 10 DFs). Serena scored on 5 of the 10 break points she reached against Na while totaling 100 points; Na converted only 3 of her 15 break points against Serena while totaling 84 points.

    Oncourt after the match, Serena said: "I've just had a really long year... I really didn't expect to get through this match today... I can't believe I won. I was so tired. Honestly, did I really win? Because Na played so well." WTA story

    Na said: "At the start of the match, maybe I was feeling too excited. So after one set and a half I felt like I had no more energy left... I have a little bit of a bad taste, because it's 6-0, but I still feel more positive things than negative. At least in the whole match I was using a lot of serve and volleying. I was trying as much as I could to come to the net. So it was an improvement there and I'm still happy overall." WTA story

    Despite the loss, Na will end the season at a new career high ranking of #3, highest ever for an Asian WTA player.

    Serena now leads Na 10-1 in career matches, and has won their last nine encounters. Their previous meeting was in September of this year on a Deco-Turf hardcourt in the semifinals of the US Open, when Serena defeated Na 6-0, 6-3.

    Serena is now 57-17 in WTA singles finals, and had a 78-4 singles match record in 2013, losing only to Victoria Azarenka (twice), Sabine Lisicki, and Sloane Stephens.

    Na is now 7-11 in WTA singles finals, and ends the year with a 44-14 singles match record.

2013 WTA Championships Singles Round Robin Standings: name in bold = clinched place in semifinals Red Group matches W-L sets W-L #1 Serena Williams 3-0 6-0 #6 Petra Kvitova 2-1 4-3 #9 Angelique Kerber 1-2 3-4 #4 Agnieszka Radwanska 0-3 0-6 White Group matches W-L sets W-L #5 Na Li 3-0 6-1 #8 Jelena Jankovic 1-2 3-4 #2 Victoria Azarenka 1-2 2-4 #7 Sara Errani 1-2 2-4         1st Alternate: #9 Caroline Wozniacki         2nd Alternate: #12 Sloane Stephens

The WTA Championships System:     Eight top players are selected for singles play in the WTA Championships, based on all the ranking points they have earned during the current WTA Tour season (this differs slightly from the WTA Rankings, which only include a maximum of 17 tourneys in the point totals).     2 groups, White and Red (the colors used for names have changed four times in recent years), play in a round-robin format (12 matches), with two winners from each group becoming semifinalists who play off on Saturday. In the semis, the player who finishes first in each group will play the second place finisher from the other group.     If players win the same number of matches, the winner of their head-to-head match in the round robin is placed higher in the standings. 3-way ties will be resolved first by the percentage of sets won, then by the percentage of games won.     Players who qualify for the WTA Championships (in singles) all will receive at least $110,000; the champion receives $1,295,000, plus another $225,000 to $455,000, depending upon how many matches they won in the round robin.     4 doubles teams also play, with no prelims.

WTA SCOREBOARD: WTA Championships s=seed, n=rank, *=upset ranks are for the current week WTA Championships,  Istanbul, Turkey   tourney time:    = GMT +3 hours    = US ET +7hrs    = US PT +10hrs Turkey News Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar     WTA Championships: Eight players qualify for the WTA Championships: those who have amassed the most ranking points in the calendar year 2008. They play a 12-match round robin in 2 groups, and the top two players in each group advance to the semifinals.   click for broader view   Sinan Erdem Dome, Istanbul Latitude: 40.988183 Longitude: 28.853574 goto link for World Wind - venue map, .pdf 2012: On Sunday, October 20, in Istanbul, the field of eight were all present for theWTA Championships draw ceremony: Sara Errani, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Li Na, Jelena Jankovic, and Angelique Kerber...

Istanbul WTA Champ's round robin, Tue 5pm #1 Serena Williams USA d #9 Angelique Kerber GER 6-3, 6-1 Serena serving, Angelique launching a backhand, and Serena driving a forehand     Serena said: "I feel really good actually. I think I served really well. [Angelique has] beaten me before so I was really a little nervous and so focused going into this match. I really felt like I had to play well to win today." WTA story #2 Victoria Azarenka BLR d #7 Sara Errani ITA 7-6(4), 6-2 Victoria serving, and Sara & Vika driving forehands     Victoria said: "I think it's pretty normal to have a slow start. I hadn't played in a while, and to go out after a break like that against a Top 10 player is not easy. Sara's a great fighter. She was fighting for every ball and playing some great tennis. I was also missing too much, just some close misses.     "But all of the matches will be tough here, so it's important to just find your rhythm. I turned it around. Sara makes you play every ball and brings every ball back, so it's important to step up and close out the points. I did a good job of that today against her. But the accuracy could be a little better." WTA story     Sara, who is entered in both singles and doubles (with Roberta Vinci) at Istanbul, suffered a leg injury in the 2nd set and was unsure whether she will be able to continue in the tourney. If she cannot, first alternate Caroline Wozniacki will replace her. *#6 Petra Kvitova CZE d #4 Agnieszka Radwanska POL 6-4, 6-4 Aga serving, and Petra driving a forehand Istanbul WTA Champ's round robin, Wed 5pm #1 Serena Williams USA d #4 Agnieszka Radwanska POL 6-2, 6-4 Serena driving a forehand, Agnieszka driving a backhand, and Serena following one     Serena said: "[Agnieszka] definitely played pretty well but I can always look to improve on some things. My serve wasn't as good, but you can't expect it to be great every day." BBC story *#8 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #2 Victoria Azarenka BLR 6-4, 6-3 Jelena's forehand drive, and Vika and Jelena driving backhands     Oncourt after the match, Jelena said: "It feels incredible to beat Azarenka here in Istanbul. First of all I was so excited to qualify here and give myself a chance to play against the best players in the world once again, and to win today is amazing. Every match in the round robin format counts, and every match is difficult too." WTA story     Victoria said: "It's been a long year. It's been a tough year. It's been tough two years, so that consistency I have been playing with, it’s sometimes difficult to keep all the time." Tennis.com story #5 Na Li CHN d #7 Sara Errani ITA 6-3, 7-6(5) Na serving, Sara following a backhand, and Na driving one     Na said: "Sara was fighting a lot today. Even when I had a match point she was still fighting a lot on the court, so yeah, I was really happy to win this match." WTA story     About her opponent on Thursday, Jelena Jankovic, Na said: "When I play Jelena it's always a tough match. We know each other very well. I played her at the US Open, but that match doesn't mean anything tomorrow." Istanbul WTA Champ's round robin, Thu 5pm #1 Serena Williams USA d #6 Petra Kvitova CZE 6-2, 6-3 Petra driving a backhand, Serena about to swat a forehand, and after match point     Serena said: "I feel pretty good. I was really aggressive tonight. Petra was aggressive too, but I think my serve did really well. I'm just glad to still be alive in the tournament. I didn't have any expectations coming here, I just wanted to come here and enjoy myself, and that's what I've done." WTA story *#9 Angelique Kerber GER d #4 Agnieszka Radwanska POL 6-2, 6-2 Aga and Angie driving forehands     Angelique said: "It's not easy to play well against Aga. You need to be focused on every point. So that's what I tried to do. I was playing very well from the first point to the last and I'm really happy with how I played. I'm feeling very good about my game and I hope I can continue like this tomorrow." WTA story #5 Na Li CHN d #8 Jelena Jankovic SRB 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 Na and Jelena driving forehand and backhand     Na said: "I think both of us were playing unbelievable today... I was really happy I could play well again at the end of the match." WTA story Istanbul WTA Champ's round robin, Fri 5pm *#5 Na Li CHN d #2 Victoria Azarenka BLR 6-2, 6-1 Na serving, and Vika driving a forehand     Victoria injured her back when trailing 2-3 in the 1st set. The injury substantially limited her mobility, but she chose to play out the match rather than retire.     Na said: "I know this is not the best way to win the match... If [Victoria] were healthy she would have been a very tough opponent today. Unfortunately she wasn't healthy...I hope the injury isn't too bad and she can come back soon." WTA story #6 Petra Kvitova CZE d #9 Angelique Kerber GER 6(3)-7, 6-2, 6-3 Angelique and Petra driving forehands #7 Sara Errani ITA d #8 Jelena Jankovic SRB 6-4, 6-4 alternates prizes: $50,000 RR no wins prizes: $135,000 US; points: 210 - RR 1 win prizes: $275,000 US; points: 370 RR 2 wins prizes: $415,000 US; points: 530 - RR 3 wins prizes: $555,000 US; points: 690

Istanbul WTA Championships, SFs, Sat 3pm loser's prize: RR prize + $36,500 US #1 Serena Williams USA d #8 Jelena Jankovic SRB 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 Serena serving, Jelena driving a forehand, and Serena ready to swat one     Serena won despite having difficulty with her serve. It appeared at times that she might be injured, but she never called for the trainer, and after the match said she had no injury.     Serena said: "I'm just really trying out here. I think my body's a little tired after so many matches. I think yesterday I kind of hit a wall. But I'm just fighting out here. Honestly I'm just happy to still be in the tournament, and I'm honored to be in the final again." WTA story #5 Na Li CHN d #6 Petra Kvitova CZE 6-4, 6-2 Petra and Na driving backhand and forehand, and Na after match point     The win assured that Na will end the season at a new career high ranking of #3, highest ever for an Asian WTA player.     Na said: "The top 3 was my goal for this year. I'm so happy I could catch it in the last match." WTA story

Istanbul WTA Championships, Final, Sun 5pm loser's prize: RR prize + $535,000 US; points: RR points + 180 winner's prize: RR prize + $1,590,000 US; points: RR points + 405 #1 Serena Williams USA d #5 Na Li CHN 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 Serena serving, Na following a forehand, and Serena driving one

Istanbul WTA Championships, Doubles SFs, Sat 1pm loser's prize: $115,000 *Elena Vesnina & Ekaterina Makarova d s1 Sara Errani & Robert Vinci 4-6 7-5 (10-3) s2 Su-Wei Hsieh & Shuai Peng d Nadia Petrova & Katarina Srebotnik 7-6(5), 6-2 Istanbul WTA Championships, Doubles Final, Sun 2:30pm loser's prize: $230,000 winner's prize: $460,000 s2 Su-Wei Hsieh & Shuai Peng d Elena Vesnina & Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 7-5 Istanbul WTA Championships, Withdrawals n3 Maria Sharapova right shoulder injury

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