“It’s unbelievable, and I can’t wait to come back and defend my title next year”, Muguruza said.
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Garbine Muguruza’s great year continued as she battled past Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets to win her second title of her career.
The semi-final victory ensured that the Chan sisters became the seventh pairing to claim their spot at the season-ending WTA Finals on October 25, their first appearance as a partnership, although Chan Yung-jan has qualified before, in 2007 in Madrid with fellow Taiwanese Chuang Chia-jung.
Muguruza recovered strongly from a losing position in an error-strewn first set as both players made heavy weather of winning their service games at Beijing’s National Tennis Stadium.
It was one of three wins the unseeded Italian had secured over the 14-times Grand Slam champion this year, but Nadal ensured there would not be a fourth.
“It’s tough for me, but it’s okay, I’m going to work harder now”.
WTA rising star Garbine Muguruza celebrated her 22nd birthday by sealing her place at the WTA Finals Singapore with a hard-fought victory over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the third round of the China Open here on Thursday. For sure I’m happy the way we’re working.
“I want to thank the whole crowd – many people have been cheering for me, and I’m sorry for Ana’s fans too, you were cheering for her a lot too”. I think he’s a very professional guy.
Bacsinszky will take a few form of consolation as she enters the top-10 for the first time after reaching the final here, a remarkable achievement considering that the Swiss 26-year-old was working in a hotel two and a half years ago as she considered giving up the sport.
The second set was a tighter affair, but Muguruza grabbed the crucial break for 5-4 and she went to match point when Bacsinszky went just long with a hopeful lob. “Let’s see what happens, I don’t know”.
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Djokovic will be the top-seeded player for the Shanghai Masters starting on Monday, which also features Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Nadal.
