Muguruza Inches Closer to Singapore Semifinals
Spaniard Garbine Muguruza won her second straight match at the WTA Finals in Singapore on Wednesday, defeating Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 to move closer to the semifinals.
Muguruza rattled off the final three games of the opener to erase a 3-4 deficit and take the first set 6-4.
In the second set, she secured the break in the eighth game, and closed things out on her first match point.
“Every time I step on the court against Angelique I know it’s going to be difficult, so I just have to give my best if I’m going to get the victory,” said Muguruza. “I’m really motivated to be here because it’s my first time in Singapore singles. So I really want to come here and win all the matches I can and hopefully go far.”
Muguruza hit 38 winners overall, and will next take on the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova.
Kvitova won her match on Wednesday, downing her compatriot Lucie Safarova 7-5, 7-5.
The former champion at this event kept her hopes of reaching the semifinals alive with a late break in the opening set, and then erased a 0-3 deficit in the second set, winning seven of the match’s final nine games.
"I’m really glad that I was able to play and win the kind of match after my loss in the first match here,” said Kvitova. “For sure it was a difficulty match. I know that Lucie wasn’t really healthy weeks ago and I’m just happy that she’s here as well. It’s great to have two Czechs in the WTA Finals.”
Kerber and Safarova will play each other next.
