2009 Champions of the Year

Australian Open Champion: Serena Williams

French Open Champion: Svetlana Kuznetsova

The Championships at Wimbledon Champion: Serena Williams

US Open Champion: Kim Clijsters

Sony Ericsson Year-Ending Championships in Doha Champion: Serena Williams

Rezai earns title in Bali after top seeded countrywoman retires

When the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour was promoting the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions as a showcase of the up-and-coming stars of women's tennis, they couldn't have alluded to a better ending. Although it may not have been the ending she wanted, 22-year-old Aravane Rezai won her biggest career title against Marion Bartoli.

Rezai, who won her first Tour title in Strasbourg, used her big groundstrokes to hang tough with the top-seeded Bartoli, rallying from set point down at 3-5 to lead the first set, 6-5, with double set point. Bartoli called the trainer to treat her for a left quadriceps strain but when she went back on court she served a double fault to lose the set, 7-5. At that point she retired in tears.

"It's a great feeling to be here in the final. I'm very sorry for Marion that this happened," Rezai said. "I'd prefer to win in a different way, but it's tennis, a lot of different things happen. The people here are so nice. I was really motivated to win here. I want to thank the sponsors of this tournament and Sony Ericsson, also all the volunteers, the fans who came to support us, the ballboys, the chair umpire, the linesmen... thank you all, you made this tournament great."

"I'm crying right now, but I'm so happy to be here," Bartoli said. "First of all I'd like to congratulate Aravane on the wonderful week she had. She played some great tennis. I have to thank one person - my dad. Thank you so much, daddy. My leg was hurting and I tried my best to carry on, but it was too much pain. I'm sorry I wasn't able to finish today. I'd like to thank Sony Ericsson for making this tour possible, and to Commonwealth Bank for this wonderful tournament."

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Singles - Final
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (1) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 75 ret. (left quad strain

Bartoli, Rezai to meet for Bali crown

The final of Bali will be a French affair, after Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai won their respective semifinals on Saturday.

First to secure her place in her fourth final of the year was top seed Bartoli, who broke Kimiko Date Krumm to start the match and began her subsequent service game with three aces. After Date Krumm got on the scoreboard in the fourth game of the first set, Bartoli won eight games in a row - and might have won even more handily than the eventual 61 63 scoreline.

"Up until 61 50 it was perfect, but even then I don't think my level dropped; she just started to play much better and get the crowd behind her," Bartoli said. "But I wasn't really focusing on her play; I was just playing point-by-point, and even though the first part of the match might have looked easy there were a lot of tough games, going to deuce."

Later, Rezai likewise dominated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. The Spaniard's left-handed serve is usually a big weapon but after being broken in the first game from a 40-15 lead it became something of a liability: Rezai broke again in the first set, and twice in the second, winning the last eight points in a row to close out the match.

"I felt great on the court today; I've been feeling really good all week, and getting better with each match," said Rezai, who passed $1 million in career prize money earlier in the week. "She likes to come to the net, which is good for me as my passing shots are some of my biggest weapons. I needed to impose my game on her, and I think I did that very well today."

Their head-to-head result is 2-0 to Bartoli, the first meeting being in the 2007 French Open, and the latest being in Tokyo this year.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Semifinals
(1) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. (WC) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 61 63
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) 62 63

Bartoli into semis in Bali

The semifinal line-up was determined at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions on Friday. With the round robin phase of the event concluded, four competitors are still in with a shot at being crowned champion of champions: Marion Bartoli, Kimiko Date Krumm, Aravane Rezai, and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Having beaten Magdalena Rybarikova on Wednesday, Group A's Bartoli confirmed her spot with a 63 62 win over Shahar Peer of Israel. Two breaks of serve in each set more than did the job for the top-seeded Frenchwoman, who never failed to hold on to her own delivery. The 25-year-old's accurate assessment: "I was hitting hard and deep and didn't make many errors."

Bartoli's semifinal opponent, Japanese veteran Date Krumm, went 1-1 in the round robin and with today off, thought her fate depended on the outcome of the scheduled match between Anabel Medina Garrigues and Yanina Wickmayer.

But the Group C scenario changed with Wickmayer's withdrawal after the announcement of a 12-month ban imposed by the Flemish Doping Tribunal in Belgium, in relation to whereabouts procedural issues. First alternate Vera Dushevina took her place, but despite registering a 26 61 75 win over Medina Garrigues the Russian could not reach the semis with only one match under her belt; furthermore, Date Krumm beat the Spaniard more handily in straight sets on Thursday.

While fourth seeded wildcard Sabine Lisicki restored pride with a 62 67(1) 64 win over Melinda Czink on Friday, Saturday's other semifinal pitches the D Group's Rezai against B Group's Martínez Sánchez. Rezai beat both Lisicki and Czink in the round robin, while Martínez Sánchez, who beat Agnes Szavay on Thursday, kept her record perfect with today's defeat of No.2 seed Sam Stosur, 76(4) 75.

Both fine doubles players, neither could crack the other's serve in the first set, but in the second Stosur recovered a 5-2 deficit before ultimately conceding defeat.

"After my great week in Doha last week I'm hoping I can have more reason to celebrate when I get home to Barcelona," said Martínez Sánchez.

There was consolation for Stosur, though. During the match she sent down a serve at 208kph - which, pending verification, would beat the 207.6kph record held by Venus Williams. "It's definitely been my best year - I had a chance to get to the Top 10 had I won this tournament, so I know that it's possible next year," the Australian said.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Round Robin - Day 3
Group A: (1) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Shahar Peer (ISR) 63 62
Group B: Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) d. (2) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 76(4) 75
Group C: Vera Dushevina (RUS)* d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 26 61 75
Group D: (4/WC) Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 62 67(1) 64

All but one seeds in action go through on Day 1 in Bali

Groups A, B, C and D all had one match in them, as three out of four seeds playing won their matches in tough scores on Day 1 in Bali.

Group A's top seed Marion Bartoli fought to win to Magdalena Rybarikova with a score of 64 64.

Group B's No. 2 seed Samantha Stosur went to three sets against Agnes Szavay but was still able to close it out with a score of 62 36 61.

Group C's No. 3 seed Yanina Wickmayer beat wildcard Kimiko Date Krumm with a score of 76(5) 63, but the Japanese player didn't exit without a fight.

"Until 3-0 (in the second set) she was playing really aggressively," said Wickmayer, who emerged with a 76(5) 63 win. "She can take the ball really early. I think she's one of the fittest players on tour right now, and if she keeps playing for the next couple of years she'll do really well."

Group D's No. 4 seed Sabine Lisicki was the only seed to lose her match, as the German went down to Aravane Rezai with a score of 16 63 64.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Round Robin - Day 1
Group A: (1) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 64 64
Group B: (2) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Agnes Szavay (HUN) 62 36 61
Group C: (3) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. (WC) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 76(5) 63
Group D: Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (4/WC) Sabine Lisicki (GER) 16 63 64

Serena beats Venus in tough straight sets, wins Doha

Serena and Venus Williams had to battle to take the crown in Doha, and Serena did just that, as she eased through to a straight sets victory to claim the Sony Ericsson Year-Ending Championships title for the first time since 2001.

Serena cruised through the first set comfortably, while the tension began in the second set. Both players held serves until 6-6, where Venus, the defending champion lost her serve in the first point of the tiebreaker, giving Serena a head start to complete the win. The score soon came to 5-1 to Serena, but after losing a service point, Venus won both her serves and the score became 5-4. Serena managed to make an ace to give her two championship points, and after firing a forehand winner, the match belonged to the younger sister, after winning with a score of 62 76(4).

The trophy presentation had a circus-like performance, with acrobats flying in the air and pretending to hit tennis balls, while the trophy came down from the air to the ground and was presented to Serena by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned.

"Playing Venus in the finals was tough," Serena said on court. "Even though she wasn't feeling good, she was getting every ball back. I can't tell you how frustrating that is! Playing her is never easy."

It was the second time Serena took the Sony Ericsson Championships title, having done it in 2001 as well. She has now beaten Venus four times in a row and has a 13-10 lead in their career head-to-head.

"Now my losing streak in tournaments that aren't Grand Slams is over!" added Serena, who hadn't won a non-major since Charleston in April 2008. "Coming out here and doing well is so exciting. I totally didn't expect to come here and win. My practice at home wasn't going so great, but I just kept fighting."

"I have to congratulate Serena for playing a great match today and having a great tournament," Venus said. "I'm happy with my week. I want to thank my mom, my dad and my sister Isha, who supports us non-stop."

Now the head-to-head result is 13-10 to Serena.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Singles - Final
(2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (7) Venus Williams (USA) 62 76(4)