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Serena Williams has decided to shut down her 2016 season, announcing her withdrawal from the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global due to a shoulder injury. Serena has not played a tour-level match since losing to Karolina Pliskova in the US Open semifinals in September.

Four thoughts on Serena’s withdrawal and what it means for the WTA Finals.

1. Serena relinquishes the year-end No.1 ranking to Angelique Kerber.

Serena’s decision means there will be no battle for the year-end No.1 ranking. No.1 Angelique Kerber snapped Serena’s record-tying 186-week streak at No.1 after winning the US Open, but the German’s sub-par swing through Asia left the door open for Serena to take it back in Singapore.

With Kerber’s loss to Daria Gavrilova in the quarterfinals of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open last week, the German has a 950 point lead on Serena in the rankings. Singapore offers 1500 points to the winner. Serena has won the WTA Finals the last four times she’s has played it, including back-to-back-to-back titles from 2012-2014. Kerber, by contrast, has never made it out of the round robin stage. Given their respective histories at the tournament, Singapore offered Serena a chance to finish the season where she started: at No.1.

2. Serena shuts it down early…again.

For the second straight year, Serena has shut down her season after taking a tough loss at the US Open. Given the trend, her announcement shouldn’t be a surprise. Since playing a career-high 82 matches in her astounding 2013 season, posting a 78-4 record and winning 11 titles, Serena has played fewer matches with each passing year:

2013: 82 matches, 78-4 record, won 11 titles.
2014: 60 matches, 52-8 record, won 7 titles.
2015: 56 matches, 53-3 record, won 5 titles.
2016: 36 matches, 30-6 record, win 3 titles.

Serena herself has affirmed her shift in priorities, to focus her energies on the Slams. Her win at Wimbledon this year moved her into a tie with Stefanie Graf for the Open Era record for most major titles. Healthy and rested, she’ll make her charge to break the record in 2017.

3. This decision feels different than last year.

When Serena announced last fall she would not play the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, China Open, or WTA Finals, the break felt more necessary on an emotional level rather than physical. While she was struggling with elbow and knee injuries, she cited “heartbreak” as a reason too, referring to her loss to Roberta Vinci in New York that ended her historic bid for the calendar Grand Slam.

Not to discount the psychological toll this year took out of Serena as well, wherein she was trying to catch or surpass Stefanie Graf’s records for majors and consecutive weeks at No.1, but 2016 has been a particularly tough year physically. She struggled with noticeable shoulder and knee injuries during the summer hard court season and pulled out of tournaments during the clay season due to the flu.

An extended physical break to get her body teed up for the 2017 season wouldn’t be a bad thing.

4. Singapore breaks open.

Much like in 2015, Serena’s absence from the WTA Finals opens up a significant opportunity for the qualifying Elite Eight. Seven of eight qualifying spots are now confirmed, with Kerber leading the pack along with Simona Halep, defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, Garbine Muguruza, and first-timers Karolina Pliskova, Madison Keys, and Dominika Cibulkova. The final spot will come down to either Johanna Konta, Carla Suárez Navarro, or Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The eight women represent the full range of WTA tennis, from pure power to rangy athleticism to crafty point construction. That the court at the Singapore Indoor Stadium has played like a slower hard court only neutralizes things even more. It’s no surprise that over the last two editions of the WTA Finals in Singapore, both a power-player and a counter-puncher has been represented in the final. In 2014 it was Serena defeating Halep, while last year it was Radwanska getting the better of Petra Kvitova.

Take a diverse group of the game’s best players and stick them on a neutral surface and you get a tournament that will be anything but predictable on any given day.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

To tell the story of 2016 is to tell the story of Angelique Kerber’s transformation from a talented grinder – one who couldn’t shake her tendency of coming up small in big situations – to the model of work ethic and persistence that grew to shine when the spotlight was at its brightest. She goes into her fourth WTA Finals as a two-time major champion, the winningest woman on tour this season, and set to clinch the year-end No.1 ranking.

The evolution began in Singapore last year, when the German capped off her 2015 season with a nervous, disappointing loss to Lucie Safarova at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Having never qualified out of the round robin stage in her two previous attempts, Kerber found herself a set away from advancing to the semifinals. All she had to do was take a set off a recovering Lucie Safarova, who had qualified on the strength of her season but was coming off months of illness. It was supposed to be a straightforward match.

Kerber lost in straight sets. And she was furious with herself afterwards, admitting that the pressure got to her and she blinked. When she sat down with her coach Torben Beltz in the off-season, the two vowed that sort of capitulation would never happen again.

They also made it their goal to peak for the tour’s biggest events. Coming into this season Kerber had not made a major semifinal since Wimbledon in 2012. Despite a strong season that saw her win four Premier titles, she sputtered at the Slams, failing to make the second week at all four. No longer content with being a solid Top 10 player, Kerber let loose her ambition. It paid off immediately.

First came her shock run to the Australian Open title, where she went from match point down to Misaki Doi in the first round to beating an in-form Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals, all before playing an incredible match to beat then-No.1 Serena Williams to win her first major title.

From there she proved herself the most reliable challenger to Serena throughout the season as well as the most consistent player on tour over the course of 10 months, a rare combination in recent times. She went 59-17 on the season, making the semifinals or better at 10 events this year. She successfully defended her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart (her first career title defense), backed up her Australian Open run by making the Wimbledon final, and charged through the summer hardcourts, where she made three consecutive finals at the Olympic tennis event, the Western & Southern Open, and the US Open.

With the No.1 ranking on the line in New York, Kerber marched towards the final without a hitch and then capped off her Slam season with a tough three-set win over Karolina Pliskova to win the US Open and again prove that her season was not about a stellar two or four week run of tournaments, but about her ability to win throughout the season.

Through it all, Kerber proved herself to be one of the best pure competitors on tour this year. On hardcourts, clay courts, or grass, Kerber battled for every point and every match. She amped up her forehand and became a more aggressive player in 2016. When matches got tight in the past, Kerber’s counterpunching style would default into a more defensive stance. This year it defaulted into offense. She backed herself, took her chances, and took control over her own destiny.

“I played a lot of tough matches last year like three sets and especially here, as well, against Victoria Azarenka [at the US Open] last year,” Kerber said in Flushing. “That was also one match I remember where I really just pushed the balls and I was not going for it. So there were a lot of matches last year where I knew that I have to be aggressive to win it. This change also in my mind. To making the transfer is not so easy, but I think I did it well.”

After she won the US Open, I asked Kerber what was the loudest, most frequent criticism of her game when she was a teenager. The woman who has tallied a 17-5 record in three-set matches this year, winning two pressure-soaked three-set Slam finals, didn’t hesitate with a response.

“Actually when I was starting when I was 16 or 17, my fitness was the worst,” Kerber said. “Everybody was telling me that I needed to train more my fitness. Ten years later my fitness is the best and I can move forever on the court.

“I was too slow, I couldn’t play three sets because I was not prepared for this. Also conditions, when it was really hot I was like ok, I have to run again. That’s changed. Everything’s changed. I think you have to learn how to work very hard. I think that was a process for me, to really see that when you’re working really hard on your fitness your results are better.”

“When you know you can run forever on court and you’re not worried that you can play three sets. I think this is really important for your confidence that you can play like two, three hours and you can go for it. I think I was working a lot on these things. This gives me a lot of confidence, especially also in Australia where it’s really hot.”

Kerber’s physical and mental transformation shows in the titles she’s won this year. Through the searing heat of the Australian Open, the nerves of defending the biggest German title in Stuttgart, and rising through the New York pressure cooker, Kerber never wavered in her belief in her game and her abilities. Hers is a story that should inspire the other women in the locker room, those who may not have been given the power shots that tend to define the modern game. Speak to Kerber enough and you’ll realize one of her key phrases when discussing the key to her game or her season is “going for it.”

In 2016, no one seized her moment like Angelique Kerber.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

Hong Kong, SAR – Caroline Wozniacki re-asserted an unwavering desire to return to the top of the women’s game, one she continues to prove by winning her 25th career WTA title at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open.

SINGAPORE – Dominika Cibulkova will round off a fantastic season by appearing at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for the first time in her career.

Victory over Viktorija Golubic in the final of the Generali Ladies Linz confirmed Cibulkova as the eighth qualifier for the season-ending showpiece, joining Angelique Kerber, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova, Garbiñe Muguruza and Madison Keys in the singles field.

The 2016 season has been a comeback year for Cibulkova, as the 27-year-old claimed three titles at the Katowice Open, Aegon International Eastbourne and most recently at the Generali Ladies Linz. Cibulkova reached three additional finals at the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL, Mutua Madrid Open and the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, which helped set a career-high ranking of No.8. The Slovak also advanced to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.

“I can’t describe with words what qualifying for the WTA Finals Singapore means to me,” said Cibulkova. “After such a tough year last year, this year has been amazing – so reaching the WTA Finals is a dream come true. It was my goal to be a consistently great player and I have achieved that this year. I want to enjoy it, play good tennis and end the year the best way I can.”

The current Road to Singapore Leaderboard as follows (as of October 10, 2016):

SINGAPORE – Madison Keys is set to make her debut appearance at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. As a result of her stellar performance throughout the Asian Swing, the American becomes the seventh player to qualify, joining Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova, Garbiñe Muguruza and Dominika Cibulkova in the star-studded singles field.

“I couldn’t be more excited to qualify for my first WTA Finals,” said Madison Keys. “I’ve worked harder than ever this year both on and off the court and I am happy that the hard work is paying off. I look forward to finishing my season strong in Singapore.”

Keys is enjoying a career-best season, breaking into the WTA Top 10 in June, and becoming the first American to enter the elite ranking bracket since Serena Williams in 1999. By advancing to the semifinals at the China Open, Keys reached a new career-high ranking of No.7 on Monday, October 10. The American won her second WTA title this year at the Aegon Classic Birmingham, as well as finishing runner-up at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, and Rogers Cup.

Other season highlights for the American include competing in her first Olympic Games, where she advanced to the semifinals, narrowly missing out on the bronze medal. She was one of just four players to reach the round of 16 at all of the Grand Slams this year, and advanced to the quarterfinals at the Miami Open and Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open.

The current Road to Singapore Leaderboard as follows (as of October 10, 2016):

SINGAPORE – Set to enter the Centre Court arena for her BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global debut is Karolina Pliskova, the Girl on Fire.

“It’s crazy, because that month in the States really changed everything,” she told WTA Insider after clinching qualification at the China Open. “I don’t know how far down I was on the Road to Singapore leaderboard before Cincinnati – pretty far, I think!

Down at No.17, to be exact, Pliskova was on no one’s Singapore short list in early August. But the Czech youngster quickly began cutting that ranking in half thanks to a blistering run at the Western & Southern Open, where she blitzed future No.1 Angelique Kerber for her second title of the season, and the biggest of her career.

“With my style, things can change a lot if I win a tournament or two.”

The winds of change blew at gale force speeds two weeks later. Rolling into the second week of a major tournament for the first time, she saved a match point to oust Venus Williams at the US Open, and became the fourth woman to beat both Williams sisters at the same Slam.

Roaring into her first Grand Slam final with a straight-set win over top seeded Serena, she finished second to Kerber in one of the best matches of the year, all but clinching the spot in Singapore she so narrowly missed 12 months ago.

“Last year was totally different,” she recalled with a wry smile. “I spent the whole season on the Road to Singapore, by the end, I was playing badly. So I didn’t make it.”

Tough weeks in Tokyo and Wuhan delayed the inevitable, but even after cementing her place among the Elite Eight, Pliskova was still ready to play, battling past young rival Daria Kasatkina in a tense third set tie-break.

“I was just praying to make it through one or two rounds because I knew I’m on the cut and only need a few points to get it. There’s always pressure, but I’m happy I made it, and able to win today after finding out last night. It confirms that I belong there.”

The tour’s ace leader will not only make her WTA Finals debut in singles, but also in doubles alongside partner Julia Goerges. Playing a sparse schedule but peaking at big events, Pliskova’s doubles season mirrors her singles, even if her approaches to the two disciplines are radically different.

“You can always improve things in doubles if you’re not feeling it in singles. I would maybe practice a few serves anyway after singles, so it can be a big help, where you can make improvements and practice there.

“I’m always in for doubles, and as long as it’s fun, and we’re winning, it’s good.”

Under the roof and away from the elements at the Singapore Sports Hub, her laser-like swings and unapologetic offense should be well suited to the indoor conditions. The 24-year-old knows where her strengths lie; playing for her first WTA Finals crown, she won’t be afraid to use them.

“For me, I still have one plan to play; I have to be aggressive otherwise I don’t have any chance to win.”

SINGAPORE – A late-season surge paved the way to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for Karolina Pliskova. However, the Czech, whose appearance is the culmination of a steady climb up the tennis ladder, is far from a one-hit wonder…

1) American dream
Pliskova impressed at the US Open this year. Playing in her 18th career Grand Slam, Pliskova advanced to the second week for the first time in her career. She saved match point against Venus Williams to make it to the quarterfinals, she shocked Serena Williams in the semifinals – and then came up just short in a thrilling final against Angelique Kerber.

2) Doing the double
Pliskova became the eighth woman ever to defeat both Williams sisters in the same tournament, and the fourth to do it at a major tournament. “There is not much better than to beat both sisters in one tournament in New York,” Pliskova said. “I’m really excited about those two wins.”

3) Victory over Venus
Pliskova’s win over Venus will have given her a smidge of satisfaction – it was the older Williams sister who beat her 7-5, 7-6(6) in the final at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai at the end of 2015.

4) Debut delight
Pliskova is making her debut in the WTA Finals after coming very close in 2015. Her run of form across tournaments in US Open, Nottingham and Cincinnati helped guide her qualification to Singapore. In addition to competing in singles, Pliskova will team up with Julia Goerges as one of the Top 8 doubles teams in the world competing at the WTA Finals.

5) Ranking rise in 2016
Pliskova rose to World No.6 after reaching the US Open final and nearly one month later made her Top 5 debut on October 10, 2016. In early August, she was ranked No.18.

6) Impressive climb
Her 2016 breakthrough has been the culmination of a steady climb up the ranks. Last year Pliskova finished just outside the Top 10 – having finished just outside the Top 20 the year before.

7) Twin magic
She and her sister Kristyna became the first twins ever to win a WTA doubles title in 2013 at Linz when they beat Gabriela Dabrowski and Alicja Rosolska in the final, 7-6 6-4.

8) Spot the difference
It’s easy to tell the Pliskova twins apart when they’re on court – Karolina plays right-handed, Kristyna left. You could also check their tattoos: Karolina has two Polynesian-style tattoos, one on her left thigh and on her left arm. Kristyna has one Polynesian-style tattoo on the inside of her left arm.

9) Top tournament
Pliskova lists her favorite tournament as the Australian Open, where she won as a junior; and in recent years, she has posted consecutive third-round appearances.

10) Sublime serve
Pliskova’s serve is perhaps her most well-known weapon. For the second consecutive year she has hit more than 500 aces, leading the WTA in both 2015 (517 aces) and 2016 (508). She also ranked second on the WTA in first serve points won (74.6%), trailing only Serena Williams (75.7%).

Linz, Austria – Dominika Cibulkova has bagged her third title of 2016 thanks to victory over Viktorija Golubic at the Generali Ladies Linz.

The Slovakian has now qualified for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global for the first time in her career thanks to her 6-3, 7-5 win.

Cibulkova sidelined for 5mos last year w/ heel surgery. Fell out of Top 50, finished at No.38.

2016: 3 titles + 3 finals + Top 10 return.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 16, 2016

Cibulkova had started the brighter of the two players, coming close to breaking in Golubic’s opening service game but squandering two break points.

The 27-year-old continued probing for the advantage, letting another two opportunities slip before finally going 5-3 ahead and serving out the first set.

It was Cibulkova who made all the running in the final set, taking a commanding lead by breaking to love in Golubic’s second service game before being unexpectedly pegged back by the World No.62, who converted her first break point.

For the first time, Golubic began to pose a threat to Cibulkova but failed to take any of her seven set points before losing her serve and allowing the No.2 seed to complete her victory.

Hong Kong, SAR – Caroline Wozniacki’s strong finish to the season continued when she lifted the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open singles title at the expense of Kristina Mladenovic.

The Dane, who won the Toray Pan Pacific Open at the end of September, put in a fine performance to breeze past the 23-year-old, 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2 and complete her impressive end to the season, having had a 13-14 win-loss ratio before the US Open and a 19-3 one since.

Caroline Wozniacki was 13-14 this year before the US Open.

From New York until now: 19-3 with two titles and back in the Top 20.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 16, 2016

Wozniacki started the match at a canter, breaking the World No.54 in her opening service game, coming to net on break point after running Mladenovic off the court.

Wozniacki was hitting the ball sweetly, able to get her groundstrokes deep and powerful and a second break was to follow after she forced a tame backhand into the net.

After just 23 minutes, Mladenovic found herself serving to stay in the set and avoid a bagel, which she achieved thanks to a measured backhand volley into the corner. All it did was delay Wozniacki, who was undeterred in wrapping up the set.

Mladenovic underwent lengthy treatment before the second set, but returned to hold the first game, although she was still struggling with her first serve.

Wozniacki had looked likely to cement her advantage and break once more but, serving at 1-2, she contrived to let a 40-0 lead slip thanks and lost serve after sending a routine forehand into the tramlines. The advantage was short-lived, with Mladenovic sending a stroke wide to hand Wozniacki a break.

Mladenovic moved ahead once more thanks to a wayward backhand from the Dane, who struck back again to level the set immediately thanks to a pair of excellent returns at deuce.

The match settled into a rhythm from then on and a tie-break was needed to decide the set. After a frenetic breaker, Wozniacki sent a backhand into the net to hand Mladenovic two set points, and she only needed one.

However, her recovery was only brief and after Wozniacki had saved three break points in the opening game of the decider, she raced into a commanding lead.The first break came when Mladenovic sent a shot into the net and a second followed with an overcooked forehand.

Mladenovic had a partial recovery, holding serve then breaking back when Wozniacki was serving for the title, but the 26-year-old finally got over the line with her second match point.

Tianjin, China – Shuai Peng claimed the first WTA singles title of her career by beating Alison Riske at the Tianjin Open.

Peng, who has slipped to No.182 in the WTA Rankings because of injury problems, took a wildcard from the tournament and emerged victorious in the final by beating a player ranked almost 130 places ahead of her 7-6, 6-2.

It was Riske who made the early running but Peng proved to be obdurate opposition, saving nine break points before eventually succumbing to the American.

However, her advantage was short lived, with Peng breaking back immediately. Riske went up a break one more to give herself a chance to serve for the set at 6-5, but history repeated itself and Peng forced a tiebreak, which she eventually won.

Riske had a hangover heading into the second set, falling a break behind in the first game. Peng doubled her advantage soon after and closed out the match to confirm a stunning upset.

“The match was really tough for me today,” Riske said after the match. 

“I had a really tough day in general, playing Kuznetsova earlier, I did the best I could, Peng had a great match, she was the better player today.

“I think this year was huge for me, I finished in the top 50. I take a lot of pride in it and confidence from my season, I look forward to what 2017 brings.”