Kvitova was up 2-0 in the deciding set, but a stellar showcase from Radwanska saw her bravely fight back to win the final set 6-3 and her first-ever WTA Finals title.
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Known in tennis circles as “the Ninja”, Radwanska’s gallant displays against Petra Kvitova to win the BNP Paribas WTA Finals 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 was more like a samurai.
The Pole, the first player from her country to compete in the prestigious season finale, beat Czech Petra Kvitova 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
She won the match 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5 in 2 hours 41 minutes, while Kvitova beat three-time finalist Maria Sharapova in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(3) in one hour and 51 minutes.
Despite losing in the semi-finals in Singapore, Sharapova, who didn’t play a completed match between Wimbledon and the WTA Finals due to injuries, was happy with her week at the year-end championships, calling it a “breakthrough”.
Radwanska lost her first two matches of the showpiece in the Far East, but has responded in emphatic fashion and had too much for Spaniard Muguruza – who misses out on a place in the final on her debut in the tournament.
The defensive tactician drew on her deeper experience to down the fast-rising Spanish star and will face either five-time Grand Slam victor Maria Sharapova or Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in Sunday’s final.
Kvitova seized the early advantage in the third set but Radwanska hit back with a double break, before Kvitova fired off three winners to wrench it back onto serve.
“I went there like, ‘No Garbine, go on the court and if you go on the court, you have to go and win, not to be half-half'”.
Kvitova finally got on the scoreboard in the third game thanks to a pair of aces but unable to make any inroads on the Radwanska serve, the two-time Wimbledon champion recorded a third double fault in as many games to cough up yet another break.
“I wasn’t really focused enough and something just slipped away and then it was hard to come back”.
Muguruza, who has been driving like a Formula One vehicle on sub-standard engine oil over the last few days because of her punishing schedule, broke in the very first game.
“Well done to Aga, who had an wonderful week”, said Kvitova, who suffered a whooping 53 unforced errors against Radwanska. At one point, she slipped down to No. 15 in the rankings – her lowest position since May 2008.
Yeah, ‘Nastia (team captain Anastasia Myskina) was a really great team leader and I’m excited to be a part of it again.
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Her emotions were understandable given the nature of the rollercoaster match filled with unremitting drama, that ended with her becoming the first WTA Finals singles victor to lose two round-robin matches.
