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SPORTS Monday 30 october 2017

Wozniacki defeats Williams for career best win at WTA finals

By SANDRA HARWITT once in my career it would
Associated Press be today,” Wozniacki said.
SINGAPORE (AP) — Caro- “I just went out there and
line Wozniacki won the did my best.” Wozniacki
biggest title of her career raced to a 5-0 lead in the
when she beat Venus Wil- second set before Williams
liams 6-4, 6-4 in the WTA Fi- mounted a late comeback
nals on Sunday. attempt.
The Dane completed the “I didn’t seem to come up
victory with a backhand with my best tennis until it
down the line on a second was too late,” Williams said.
match point for her 60th “I’ll try to play a little better
match victory of the sea- earlier next time. That might
son. be a good plan.”
The 27-year-old Wozniacki’s Woznicki dropped serve
best previous result at the when she was serving for
WTA Finals was reaching the first set at 5-3, and then
the final in 2010. dropped serve when serv-
Williams, who was hoping ing for the match in the
to win a 50th career title on seventh and ninth games
Sunday, is the only player of the second set.
at this year’s WTA Finals “I’m still shaking,” Wozni-
who didn’t win a title during Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark poses with the winner’s trophy after beating Venus Williams of acki said. “I was up 5-0 and
the season. the United States during their singles final match at the WTA tennis tournament in Singapore, on then Venus started upping
The 37-year-old Williams Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. her game. She went for her
appeared in three finals Associated Press shots, started serving into
at the five most prestigious bledon, and here in Singa- Finals title in 2008, had won “Eight is my lucky number my body. I’m just so happy
tournaments of the season: pore. all seven previous matches so I was hoping if I was I managed to win in the
the Australian Open, Wim- Williams, who won the WTA against Wozniacki. going to beat her at least end.”q

Federer beats del Potro in

hometown Swiss Indoors final

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Trailing in the second set, who is top-seeded in Paris.
Roger Federer finally beat the 36-year-old Swiss had Victory Sunday lifted Feder-
Juan Martin del Potro in a slammed his racket on the er to a 18-6 lifetime record
Swiss Indoors final, winning net cord in frustration when against del Potro, who has
6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 Sunday to wasting a break-point a 3-2 edge over Federer in
go clear in second place chance. finals.
on the Open era title list. Federer improved to 7-1 in Federer served for the first
Federer’s 95th ATP tourna- finals this season. They in- set with a 5-4 lead — be-
ment win — the eighth in clude his previous event, fore del Potro immediately
his hometown Basel event the Shanghai Masters two broke back — and let a 3-0 Switzerland’s Roger Federer reacts during the final match against
where he was once a ball- weeks ago, and Grand lead slip in the tiebreaker. Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro at the Swiss Indoors tennis
boy — lifted him out of a tie Slam titles at the Australian Del Petro reeled off six tournament in Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017.
with Ivan Lendl, trailing only Open and Wimbledon. straight points in the tie- Associated Press
Jimmy Connors who has Sticking to a schedule that breaker, including one af- chance to break with two with his hands on the net
109. avoids playing back-to- ter a 23-shot exchange, double faults but held with when a wild forehand gift-
The top-seeded Federer back weeks, Federer later then clinched with his third strong serves. ed del Potro his chance.
succeeded on the same Sunday pulled out of the set point keyed by a strong Forcing two set points on On the next point, Federer
court where he lost the Paris Masters which starts serve. del Potro’s serve, Federer netted a backhand volley
2012 and 2013 Basel finals Monday and will focus on Both players had break- took the second when see- to fall behind 1-0, though
to del Potro. the ATP Finals starting Nov. point chances early in the ing his opponent’s baseline soon leveled with a fierce
Federer rallied from a 12 in London. second set, and Federer hit forehand fly long. forehand winner.
break down in the decisive That decision by the No. his racket on the net cord They traded service breaks Federer broke again for
set and clinched when the 2-ranked Federer all but as- after spurning his with a to open the decisive set, a 3-1 lead and served
fourth-seeded Argentine sures the end-of-season No. backhand volley sent wide. and Federer stood head out the match under little
sent a service return long. 1 status for Rafael Nadal Federer gifted del Potro a bowed for several seconds pressure.q