Second-seeded Garbine Muguruza improved to 2-0 in group-stage matches at the WTA Finals by beating Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday.
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As both Muguruza and Kerber had won their opening matches, a victory tonight for Kerber would have enabled her to win the group and progress to the semi-finals.
Kerber (1-1) and Safarova (0-2) can all still advance to the last four from the “White Group” with one round of matches to play but Muguruza is in prime position to advance as the victor of the four-player pool in Singapore.
Later, Muguruza beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4.
“Well, I prefer playing with Petra”, the 28-year-old Safarova joked after seeing her semi-final hopes in Singapore fade. “We’ve played unbelievable matches so I just have to be ready and give my best if I want to have a victory”.
Left-handed Kerber, 27, was broken four times by the tall but quick Spaniard, who won in Beijing this month and was runner-up to Serena Williams at Wimbledon in July. The world number five and 2011 champion has never lost to Safarova, her close friend and Fed Cup partner, holding a 8-0 record across all surfaces.
“I’m really motivated to be here because it’s my first time in Singapore singles”, Murguruza told reporters after the match.
From the resulting replayed point, Kerber attempted an unplanned drop shot but the Spaniard was alert and smashed the ball straight down the middle before going on to win the set 6-4. She fought off another break point holding for a 2-1 second-set lead.
“I’m really glad that I was able to play and win the kind of match after my loss in the first match here”, he said.
The Kerber serve isn’t almost as explosive as Muguruza’s delivery, but the German has fast hands and uses her legs well dropping into a squat sometimes to fend off the first return.
Muguruza more than tripled Kerber’s victor total (19 to 6) and continuously stepped forward to strike off her front foot in the first set.
Kvitova had seized the momentum and was threatening to run away with the contest when she held two break points to forge 5-3 ahead before Safarova stood firm through a mixture of guts and guile to drag it back to 4-4.
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She is likely headed to the semifinals with a final round robin match against Kvitova on Friday.
