The great Serena Williams caps an unbelievable season by winning the year ending WTA championship, beating number 1 Vika Azarenka and number 2 Maria Sharapova. She won all her 4 matches in straight sets as well, at the ripe age of 31.

I can't wait for 2013!

 

Kudos to the Turkish audience. I've never seen so many signs supporting Serena outside of the US.

Serena ends WTA season in commanding style; Federer beaten in Basel

updated 12:56 PM EDT, Sun October 28, 2012

 

 

(CNN) -- Serena Williams brushed aside Maria Sharapova in straight sets Sunday to claim the season-ending WTA Tour Championship in Istanbul.

Williams has looked unbeatable from the moment she struck her first shot in anger at the Sinan Erdem Dome in the Turkish capital and so it proved again in the final as she triumphed 6-4 6-3.

Sharapova, who beat World No.1 Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals, put up a brave fight, but was outgunned by the 31-year-old American.

 

The Russian World No.2 did not force a single break point as Williams again served superbly and came under constant pressure on her own delivery.

A single break was enough for Williams to take the first set, finished with a flurry of aces as she served at 5-4 and an early break put her ahead in the second.

Sharapova, who won the French Open to highlight her 2012, bravely stayed in the contest by clinging on to her service, but at 3-5 down she cracked again.

Crunching ground strokes set up two championship points, finished with an explosive forehand as Williams claimed the WTA Championships for the third time.

Azarenka clinched the season-ending ranking by reaching the semifinals, but on current form Williams will return to the top of the rankings early in 2013.

"I made a little bit of a slow start to 2012," she told Eurosport after her Istanbul romp.

 

"There's always 2013 and I'm looking forward to it," she added ominously for the opponents at the elite end of the women's game.

Since mid-summer she has claimed the Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles before coming out on top in the WTA Tour's finale, despite having not played since her Flushing Meadows triumph.

With golds in the Olympic singles and doubles, with sister Venus, at the London Games, it has proved a glorious finish to the year.

Meanwhile, Juan Martin del Potro shocked World No.1 and home favorite Roger Federer in the final of the ATP tournament in Basel.

The Argentine did not drop his service throughout the three-set match to deny the Swiss maestro a sixth title at the hard court tournament.

He emerged a 6-4 6-7 7-6 winner after two hours and 44 minutes to claim back to back titles after winning in Vienna the previous week.

Defeat for Federer puts him under further pressure from Novak Djokovic to end the year in top spot, having to defend both his Paris Masters and ATP Tour Finals titles in successive weeks.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/28/sport/tennis/tennis-serena-sharapova-federer/

Novak back to his massively high standards, Federer can pick it up a gear from how he played but there wasn't a lot he could do, great match.

glad that i didnt watch it cause i cant stand watching federer to lose.

if you are in the lead 3-0 you have to win the set. :dozey:

Come on Wawrinkaaaaaaaa!!!!

 

 

edit: :'[

Wawrinka fought til the end, and he showed something we didn't know about him. Well played, even though Djokovic eventually won.

Sloane Stephens upsetting Serena. Yeah, cool.

Tennisspieler lol.

Federer breaks in 4th set with Murray serving for the match, looks like he will force a 5th.

Federer lost :disappointed:

Murray gives Djokovic a 4th set break on a double-fault. Novak's tournament to lose now.

Novaks becoming impossible in Oz

An Andy Murray win would have been the lesser of two evils. :blank:

Rafa is back to save tennis. lol

^ Tennis was going great without him :snobby:

 

 

I don't like him for some reason ok

^ Tennis was going great without him :snobby:

 

 

I don't like him for some reason ok

 

It's ok. We don't have to have a reason to unlike people.

I just love that he owns your home country grand slam :P

 

Rafa is my baby, I've been following him since he was 14 yrs old. I had no idea he'd turn out to be the champion that he is today.

So, Rafa defeated Berdych, and Del Potro came back from 0-3 in the 3rd set to defeat Novak. So the final is Rafa vs JMD. My Rafa has a chance to win it all but Juan Martin looks lethal. May the best man win.

Rafael Nadal beats Juan Martin del Potro in three sets at Indian Wells

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tennis/rafael-nadal-beats-juan-martin-del-potro-in-three-sets-at-indian-wells/story-e6frfgao-1226599691468

I also don't like Rafa but he is of such a great talent that tennis is definitely a better world with him, if you think otherwise you probably haven't seen his matches against Federer in those epic Wimbledon finals where every other point was of backbreaking effort to win. Whenever he comes up against other top players on top form, you're going to see something special because Rafa just doesn't back down.

^ There have been some epic battles with Djokovic or Murray for instance while he was gone though, but yes you're right, he does bring something important to tennis.

Oh no doubt theres been other great matches without him around, but that'll continue, and Murray has found another gear I didn't think he had, but Rafa's also had some great matches against Novak and I'm sure in future Slams we'll continue to see some incredible games from the top 4 and beyond, it's a really good time for mens tennis and Rafa contributes a lot.

 

...Even if he is a bit of a donkey.

Tommy Haas stuns Novak Djokovic in the quarters of the Sony Open in Miami, in straight sets too.

Serena storms back to sink Sharapova in three sets and lift Sony Open title in Miami

 

By Steven Donaldson

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2301627/WTA-Sony-Open--Miami-Serena-Williams-beats-Maria-Sharapova-4-6-6-3-6-0-final.html#ixzz2P6gTwCil

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Andy Murray wins Sony Masters in three-set thriller with David Ferrer

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/31/andy-murray-sony-open-david-ferrer

The claycourt season is upon us!

 

Rafa vs Nole in the Monte Carlo final tomorrow. It's going to be a good one!