22 Saturday, October 28, 2017 SPORTS Makarova, Garcia to face Vesnina return Venus in semis to semifinals Singapore serve, and struck two of her eventual aroline Garcia seemed down and total of eight aces. Over the course out after a first-set whitewash - but of the match, this would be her key foughtC back from the brink to snatch weapon - indeed, of the eight break a magnificent 0-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory points the former World No.1 would over Caroline Wozniacki and progress save today, five would be with an ace or to the semifinals of the BNP Paribas service winner. WTA Finals Singapore presented by Garcia has made a habit SC Global. lately of battling back, Wozniacki had picked up in the same though, and the second set sparkling form that she had displayed saw the Frenchwoman deploy in her previous matches this week. The more spin on her shots and World No.6 had delivered a bagel set more patience in her point in each of her resounding round robin construction to cut down on wins over Elina Svitolina and Simona her cheap errors. Halep, and she dished up another to This Garcia in just 22 minutes, permitting wasn’t Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina the Frenchwoman a mere seven points at the Singapore never trailed, and set the tone early - the first time in the history of the expense efending champions as they sprinted out to a 5-0 lead in WTA Finals that any player has scored of her Ekaterina Makarova and the first set. three 6-0 sets. aggression, DElena Vesnina needed just 59 “That match [in Miami] was The Dane’s wall-like strategy was though: minutes to return to the final four good for them, they won the once again working to perfection as pummelling at the BNP WTA Finals Singapore tournament,” Makarova recalled. she conceded just one unforced error her yesterday, defeating Miami Open “Today we felt very good out there, in the set compared to the nine shed by opponent’s champions Gabriela Dabrowski and it was a great atmosphere. It’s her opponent - many of them elicited forehand with and Xu Yi-Fan, 6-1, 6-1. nice to come back to [try to defend] by smart changes of direction and pace. hard, heavy “It was a really good match our title and it feels amazing.” However, Wozniacki’s serve has been and relentless for us, everything was working - Makarova and Vesnina will next on top form this week as well: she groundstrokes we were playing light and easy,” face Johanna Larsson and Kiki did not lose a point behind paid off in the Vesnina said. “There are not many Bertens for a spot in their second her first fifth game as Garcia matches in the year you can play straight Singapore final, after the became the first like that. It’s really good that we unseeded duo came through an player this week to could play it here in Singapore epic against Australian No.4 seeds break the Wozniacki in the year-end championship, the Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh serve. Having hit just most important tournament of the Barty in three tiebreaks. four winners in the first set, year. “We watched that match/ - I the World No.8 would ultimately “We’re really pleased the way think it was a really great doubles tally 27 in the second and third we played today and happy that match today and we enjoyed sets. (wtatennis) we won.” watching it. It’s a good win for The Russian duo got their them. We played against them revenge for a 7-6(3) 6-1 quarterfinal once and they’re a very tough Caroline Garcia (file pic) defeat to the Canadian and Chinese team,” Vesnina assessed. pair in Miami, and were crisp and “They’re playing good in singles sharp from the first ball. and they’re good doubles players, They broke serve five times total, so it’s tricky.” (wtatennis) Hingis helped me become Slam champion: Federer Basel one who showed me how it number one some 20 years oger Federer said he was all done,” said 19-time later. wasn’t sad to see fellow Grand Slam champion “I think now it’s definite. SwissR legend Martina Hingis Federer. It’s different, because before announce her retirement, “It was great for I walked away thinking I crediting her with helping Switzerland to have someone might come back,” Hingis him become a record- of her calibre. We were very told reporters after her 6-3, breaking Grand Slam lucky. I loved playing with 6-2 doubles win alongside champion. her at the Hopman Cup, she Chan Yung-Jan over Anna- Hingis, 37, called time on was always super friendly, I Lena Groenefeld and Kveta her career, which spanned love that about her. Peschke in Singapore. three decades, for a third “I’m not sad to see her “After a season like this, I time on Thursday. retire, she’s been in the game think it’s also perfect timing. Federer, who won the for long enough, she seems You know, you want to stop 2001 Hopman Cup alongside at peace with her decision on top and not when you’re Hingis, said he heard at the -- that’s wonderful. I’ve already going backwards. start of the year and again last always been a fan of her and I couldn’t ask for a better week that Hingis intended to I always will be.” finish.” call it quits for good at the Hingis announced her Hingis had five Grand end of the ongoing WTA “definite” retirement earlier Slam singles titles to her Finals in Singapore, where on Thursday, signalling the name when injuries drove she has reached the doubles end of a career which took her into her first retirement semi-finals. her from 1990s teenage in 2003, when she was just Federer and Hingis in an exhibition in Brisbane (file pic) “Martina was partially the superstar to doubles world 22. (AFP)