The WTA Finals—the season-ending championship of women's tennis—begins on Monday, October 20 in Singapore. Throughout eight days, we'll take a closer look at the seasons put forth so far by the eight singles competitors.
Simon Halep has come a long way—as demonstrated by the fact that she’s a legitimate choice as “most improved” WTA player—for a second year running. Having finished No. 11 in 2013, this year Halep played her first Grand Slam final (at Roland Garros) and improved her ranking to No. 2.
Halep was yet another of Dominika Cibulkova’s victims at the Australian Open (in the quarterfinals), but then she won her seventh career WTA title at Doha. Her spring was consistent, culminating with a breakthrough French Open (losing in the final to Maria Sharapova). She backed up her newfound status by reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon (losing to Eugenie Bouchard). Halep won her eighth title on home soil in Bucharest in July, then tailed off.
Halep gave Sharapova all she could handle on the red clay of court Philippe Chatrier in the French Open final, but she fell just short by 6-4 in the third.
Qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni created an inspirational story at the U.S. Open, but unfortunately, Halep’s failure to handle her game in the third round resulted in Halep’s worst Grand Slam loss of the year.
After Wimbledon, Halep suddenly began to look as if the pressure of her enhanced status finally was getting to her (her run to the title in Bucharest was the exception). She had lapses during matches that a player of her slight stature (she’s just 5-foot-6, 132 pounds) can ill afford. A round-robin is a good way to get over nerves because a player can afford to take a loss. A win in Singapore would give Halep her greatest title (by far) and establish herself among the elites.
WTA Finals Previews
Sunday, October 12: Agnieszka Radwanska
Monday, October 13: Ana Ivanovic
Tuesday, October 14: Caroline Wozniacki
Wednesday, October 15: Eugenie Bouchard
Thursday, October 16: Maria Sharapova
Friday, October 17: Petra Kvitova
Saturday, October 18: Serena Williams
Sunday, October 19: Simona Halep