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