Svitolina wins WTA Finals

The finalists in the BNP Paribas WTA Finals in Singapore were Sloane Stephens (5) and Elina Svitolina (6).

Stephens was making her first appearance in this event, and Svitolina just her second, and both had not lost a match in reaching the final.

Head to head, the pair shared wins in 2014, but the battle of note was in Montreal this August where Stephens prevailed in the semi finals.

None of that mattered when they hit the Singapore court, and the American broke Svitolina to love, leading 2-0.

Two break points were saved by sound forward moves from Stephens and she finally held for 3-0 - Svitolina had invested some fine forehands into the match, but without any return.

Stephens created three chances for a double break, but a rare forehand mistake cost her, and Svitolina fought her way out of trouble to finally register a score.

Stephens was pushing Svitolina to the corners at every opportunity, and the Ukrainian was facing another break point in the sixth game.

Svitolina saved this one after a long rally and trailed 2-4.

As the quality of the match increased, so did the power hitting.  Stephens needed it to ward off two break points and lead 5-2.

Serving for the set, Sloane was successful, and led 6-3.  The scoreline belied the closeness of the contest on court.

An attacking Svitolina was the beneficiary of the first break point of set two in the fourth game, after some loose Stephens baseline shots.  It was the forehand that ultimately cost her the serve, and Elina led 3-1.

Stephens pressed hard to achieve the break back, and it came on the third chance.

A determined Svitolina sent a backhand past a helpless American racquet on break point in the sixth game, and the third dropped serve in succession saw Elina ahead 4-2.

From 0-30, Svitolina held with strength, and then broke Stephens on the second set point.  6-2, and a third set was required.  Appropriate after such a tremendous battle.  Unforced errors undid the otherwise excellent work of Stephens in set two.

In game two of the decider, Stephens saved two break points, but the stern defence of Svitolina helped create a third. The speed to reach a Stephens net cord, then produce a winning drop shot was breathtaking.  2-0 Svitolina.

It took ten minutes, and the saving of three break points, before Svitolina could consolidate her position at 3-0.

Innovative approaches to points assisted Elina, including visiting the net to put away winning volleys, leaving a disconsolate Stephens on the baseline.

A burst of the renowned Stephens power put some doubt back into the Ukrainian camp.  Sloane ripped through her service game without dropping a point, then broke the Svitolina serve in similar fashion, surrendering a single point.  2-3 and back on serve.

The burst couldn’t be sustained however, and a calm Svitolina broke the American serve again.  

On game point at 4-2, Svitolina passed Stephens with a brilliant cross court backhand, to be one game away from the title.

On match points Stephens pushed a backhand wide and Elina Svitolina won the Billie Jean King trophy 3-6 6-2 6-2.

The first player to be undefeated in the tournament since Serena Williams in 2013.

Elina has won her last 9 finals, and will end the year ranked number four, her highest year end finish.

She defeated the following players en route to her biggest ever title:

Petra Kvitová 

Karolina Pliskova 

Caroline Wozniacki 

Kiki Bertens 

Sloane Stephens

A remarkable achievement indeed, and a terrific performance too by Sloane Stephens in a memorable final.