The WTA Finals—the season-ending championship of women's tennis—begins on Monday, October 20 in Singapore. Throughout eight days, we'll take a closer look at the seasons put forth so far by the eight singles competitors.
Caroline Wozniacki has had a tumultuous year, especially on the personal front. Yet her painful and much publicized break-up with Irish golfer Rory McIlroy had a useful professional function: It allowed Wozniacki to pour a lot of new energy into her tennis.
Early this year, Wozniacki fell as low as No. 18 but she gradually worked herself back into the Top 10. The drive that began shortly after Wimbledon, with a win at Istanbul, culminated at the U.S. Open where she lost the championship match to Serena Williams. Her game has been sharp this fall.
Playing Serena Williams for a Grand Slam title is a high honor, even when you lose.
Yanina Wickmayer knocked Wozniacki out of the French Open in the first round—just days after McIlroy announced that he’d gotten cold feet and called off his marriage to Wozniacki.
Wozniacki is famous for having been the year-end world No. 1 for two years in a row without ever having won a Grand Slam event. Thereafter, she experienced a long slide complicated by a largely happy—and distracting—relationship with McIlroy. Winning Singapore would be a marvelous way for Wozniacki to begin a new phase of her career—and a new push to win a major.
WTA Finals Previews
Sunday, October 12: Agnieszka Radwanska
Monday, October 13: Ana Ivanovic
Tuesday, October 14: Caroline Wozniacki
Wednesday, October 15: Eugenie Bouchard
Thursday, October 16: Maria Sharapova
Friday, October 17: Petra Kvitova
Saturday, October 18: Serena Williams
Sunday, October 19: Simona Halep