Keys Wins First Ever WTA Finals Match
American Madison Keys won her first ever match at the WTA Finals in Singapore, downing Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 6-4 on Tuesday.
Keys needed just over an hour to dispatch Cibulkova in a match that both players needed. From the start, Keys looked in form, cruising through service games early on and using her power to push the Slovak back behind the baseline. A big forehand winner gave her the break for 3-1, and Keys continued to dominate on serve to take the opening set in just 22 minutes.
Cibulkova committed a crucial error at 2-2 in the second set to hand Keys the only break she needed, and the American went on to serve out the set and match.
In the first match on Tuesday, world number one Angelique Kerber continued to impress, this time defeating Simona Halep 6-4, 6-2 in just one hour and 22 minutes.
Halep had an opportunity for an early break in the first set, but Kerber held her nerve to even the score at four-all, and then got the decisive break in the following game to sneak out the opening set. The German carried that momentum into the second set, committing just three unforced errors and sealing two breaks to push past Halep in straight sets.
“I’m feeling very good here. I’m really enjoying being back here on the center court and playing my best tennis. I think we played a great match today,” said Kerber. “I try every time I step on court to give my best. Of course every match here is tough—it’s the best eight players in the world—and I’m just trying to focus on my game.”
