GUADALAJARA (Mexico) — Karolina pliskova beat Garbine Muguruza 4-6 6-2 7-6 (6) in her first match at the WTA Finals.
Two former No. Pliskova, third-seeded, struggled to adjust to Guadalajara’s nearly 5,000 feet elevation, Mexico’s second-largest city.
“The first set wasn’t the best. Pliskova stated that Pliskova was impressed by Pliskova’s second serve, which earned her many points. The third set was tough. “I thought I had too many chances. I didn’t make it. But I was happy that it ended my way.”
Pliskova will be playing in the WTA Finals for a fifth time. She has reached the semifinals twice previously in 2018 and 2019. The 2020 tournament was cancelled.
Although she didn’t win any titles, she maintained a high ranking with her appearances in the finals at Wimbledon, Montreal and Cincinnati.
Pliskova has a record of 9-2 against Muguruza, a former Wimbledon and French Open champion. She won the Chicago title and Dubai title this year. This is her fourth appearance at the season’s end event.
“That was a tough match for us both. Muguruza stated that it was only a one-point difference. “I saved many match points, and it was a difficult loss. I fought as hard I could.” “I am happy with my fighting spirit, even though I lost.”
Muguruza lost serve, but won four consecutive games to lead 4-2 and then won the first set in just 38 minutes.
Pliskova settled in the second game and received service breaks in the eighth and second games to even the match.
The third set lasted over an hour. Muguruza saved three match points to force the tiebreaker and another in tiebreaker before Pliskova won the victory.
Anett Kontaveit beat Barbora Krejcikova, second-seeded, 6-3,6-4 earlier.
Kontaveit won 27 of her 29 last matches. This includes her title run at Ostrava, where she defeated Paula Badosa, and Maria Sakkari. Both of them are here competing.
Kontaveit stated, “I’ve been in the top 30 for many years.” “During the summer, I was having a bit of losing streak. Then I began working with Dmitry Tursunov and I really wanted to win some games. It was a win in Cleveland that I achieved, and then things just started to roll from there.
Tursunov, a former world No. 20-year-old Tursunov began working with Kontaveit during the Cincinnati Masters. The Estonian-born 25-year-old lost the first round. Kontaveit’s rise from No. Kontaveit has risen from No. 30 to the top 10. 30 made it to the top 10.
Kontaveit stated, “I have been believing in myself more, and the sport definitely has clicked from just getting a lot more wins and playing lots of tennis and really feeling comfortable.”
Krejcikova was the French Open champion and started the year ranked 65th. However, she won three titles to qualify her for the WTA Finals.
Krejcikova stated, “It’s just hard because a few days ago I was actually in Europe, now it’s here.” It’s really, really, very difficult.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the tournament was cancelled. This year, it is being played in round-robin format.
For this year, the WTA Finals will be played in Guadalajara. The event is scheduled to return in Shenzhen in 2022.
