2012 WTA Tour Championships
wta tour championship tennis tournament played istanbul turkey october october nd edition single event th edition double competition tournament held sinan erdem dome contested eight single player four double team larger two season ending championship wta tour tournament featured top eight single player top four double team race istanbul victoria azarenka maria sharapova serena williams agnieszka radwańska angelique kerber petra kvitová sara errani li na qualified single competition kvitová withdrew championship one match replaced sam stosur radwańska erranis round robin match set record longest match wta tour championship history within bestofthree system azarenka sharapova williams radwańska qualified red white group semifinal first time since world top four ranked womens player made semifinal tournament first time since top four seed made stage williams went win third season ending championship double sara errani roberta vinci andrea hlaváčková lucie hradecká liezel huber lisa raymond maria kirilenko nadia petrova made team competition started semifinal allrussian pairing kirilenko petrova claimed title serena williams defeated maria sharapova – – williams seventh title season th career third wta championship title also maria kirilenko nadia petrova defeated andrea hlaváčková lucie hradecká – – wta championship took place sinan erdem dome – october st edition event tournament run womens tennis association wta part wta tour larger two season ending championship wta tour smaller latter player qualify wta championship single event featured eight player began round robin event split two group four first four day competition player met three player group top two group advancing semifinal firstplaced player one group met secondplaced player group vice versa winner semifinal met championship match round robin tiebreaking method final standing group shall determined first following method apply greatest number win greatest number match played headtohead result two player tied three player tied three player number win player played less three match automatically eliminated player advancing single elimination competition winner matchup two remaining tied player b highest percentage set c highest percentage game double competition four team playing straight knockout format semifinal stage total prize money wta championship million united state dollar every match played round robin player got point automatically round robin win got additional point rr mean prize money point round robin round rr double september victoria azarenka maria sharapova became first two player qualify championship victoria azarenka started year strongly winning apia international sydney li na – – – followed winning maiden grand slam australian open defeating maria sharapova – – win claimed ranking first time winning streak continued qatar total open title without dropping set beating samantha stosur – – final fourth title year bnp paribas open defeating sharapova – – streak ended defeated marion bartoli quarterfinal sony ericsson open clay season reached backtoback final porsche tennis grand prix losing sharapova – – mutua madrid open losing serena williams – – french open lost fourth round dominika cibulková – –– seeded second wimbledon reached semifinal defeated serena – –– summer olympics reached semifinal lost serena – – however bronze medal match maria kirilenko earning belarus first tennis medal history teamed max mirnyi mixeddoubles event gold medal defeating laura robson andy murray goldmedal match seeded first u open azarenka defeated defending champion samantha stosur quarterfinal sharapova semifinal lost williams first u open final – – – china open top seed defeating sharapova – – final drop set tournament azarenka sixth title year generali lady linz defeating julia görges – – blowing – second maria sharapova started reaching final australian open favorite title succumbed – – defeat first time grand slam finalist victoria azarenka final followed consistent performance backtoback final appearance bnp paribas open losing azarenka – – sony ericsson open losing agnieszka radwańska – – first title year porsche tennis grand prix defeating world azarenka – – also internazionali bnl ditalia defeating li na – – –– coming back – second set french open fourth grand slam single title defeating sara errani – – final victory gave career grand slam returned world entering wimbledon top seed sharapova lost fourth round sabine lisicki – – rebounded well summer olympics winning silver medal outplayed serena williams final – – despite skipping u open series reached u open semifinal lost azarenka reached final china open facing azarenka lost – – september serena williams became third player qualify championship serena williams enjoy good start season injuring ankle first tournament brisbane succumbing fourth round australian open ekaterina makarova – – clay season first title clay since family circle cup losing game defeating lucie šafářová – – final mutua madrid open victoria azarenka – – coming french open heavy favorite match winning streak williams suffered shocking firstround loss virginie razzano – –– – marked williams first loss first round grand slam however regrouped well triumphed wimbledon defeating agnieszka radwańska final – – – th grand slam title came back losing – lead second following week defended title bank west classic defeating coco vandeweghe – – summer olympics gold medal dominating maria sharapova – – final lost total game event victory completed career golden slam single making second woman steffi graf also double gold sister venus williams third time lucie hradecká andrea hlaváčková – – match winning streak ended western southern open angelique kerber u open reached final loss game final defeated world victoria azarenka – – – second grand slam single title year th overall september agnieszka radwańska became fourth player qualify championship agnieszka radwańska began season semifinal appearance apia international sydney quarterfinal finish australian open claimed first title year dubai tennis championship julia görges – – claimed second title year sony ericsson open defeating maria sharapova final – – clay season reached two semifinal losing opening match internazionali bnl ditalia petra cetkovská – – – first lost player azarenka year however bounced back winning brussels open simona halep – – french open fell svetlana kuznetsova third round – – wimbledon reached first grand slam single final career losing serena williams – – – summer olympics upset first round julia görges – –– – u open lost first time roberta vinci fourth round – – reached final toray pan pacific open defending champion upset final nadia petrova – – – october three spot filled angelique kerber petra kvitová sara errani qualified championship angelique kerber enjoyed best season far reached two semifinal australian open preparation losing third round australian open maria sharapova – – claimed first career title open gdf suez defeating marion bartoli –– – – second title year eboks open defeating defending champion caroline wozniacki – – french open fell quarterfinal sara errani – –– grass season reached final aegon international losing tamira paszek – – – despite five match point – lead wimbledon reached second grand slam semifinal ended losing agnieszka radwańska – – western southern open kerber reached first premier final fourth final year lost li na – – – u open reaching semifinal previous year fell fourth round errani –– – petra kvitová came strong contender began year winning hopman cup tomáš berdych france marion bartoli richard gasquet australian open reached semifinal losing maria sharapova – – – wimbledon defending champion lost eventual champion serena williams quarterfinal – – claimed first title year rogers cup defeating li na – – – final claimed u open series top spot winning new open yale defeating russian maria kirilenko –– – u open upset marion bartoli fourth round – – – sara errani breakthrough season reached first grand slam quarterfinal australian open losing petra kvitová – – first title year abierto mexicano telcel defeating flavia pennetta – –– – claimed barcelona lady open dominika cibulková – – budapest grand prix italian claimed third title year elena vesnina – – french open errani made surprising run reaching final earning first top win angelique kerber – –– samantha stosur – – – losing maria sharapova – – final result broke top wimbledon errani receiving end first golden set grand slam lost yaroslava shvedova – – third round however bounced back winning fourth title internazionali femminili di palermo barbora záhlavovástrýcová – – u open reached second grand slam semifinal lost serena williams – – october reaching semifinal china open li na became last qualifier li na season rather lackluster started year reaching final apia international sydney defending champion losing victoria azarenka final – – – australian open lost kim clijsters fourth round – –– – squandering four consecutive match point ahead – secondset tiebreak reached second final year internazionali bnl ditalia losing maria sharapova – – –– despite leading – second set french open defending champion upset yaroslava shvedova fourth round – – – wimbledon fell sorana cîrstea – – second round reached third final year rogers cup losing petra kvitová – – – first title year western southern open angelique kerber – – – placing second u open series u open received shock exit third round laura robson – –– – first alternate championship australian samantha stosur stosur reached final year failed capture title reached first final year qatar total open losing top seed victoria azarenka – – reached second final kremlin cup losing caroline wozniacki – – – despite leading – final set reached semifinal french open losing sara errani – – – defending champion fell quarterfinal u open losing azarenka – – –– second alternate marion bartoli alternate second straight year reached first final open gdf suez losing angelique kerber –– – – reached second final year mercury insurance open losing dominika cibulková – – reached quarterfinal u open losing maria sharapova – – – september sara errani roberta vinci became first double team qualify championship sara errani roberta vinci breakthrough season team winning title first two title year backtoback monterrey open datekrumm zhang – –– abierto mexicano telcel domínguez lino parra santonja – – third title barcelona lady open pennetta schiavone – – title row begun mutua madrid open winning – – – internazionali bnl ditalia – – time makarova vesnina first slam title paris kirilenko petrova – – – continued winning way unicef open defeating kirilenko petrova – – – eight title second slam u open hlaváčková hradecká – – also reached two final losing russian pairing australian open kuznetsova zvonareva – – – sony ericsson open kirilenko petrova –– – – september two team qualified championship andrea hlaváčková lucie hradecká czech republic liezel huber lisa raymond united state andrea hlaváčková lucie hradecká solid season able reach final winning first title came asb classic görges pennetta –– – – second title memphis international dushevina govortsova – – reach final grass season however came straight final first one wimbledon losing serena venus – – silver medal summer olympics losing serena venus – – biggest title year western southern open defeating srebotnik zheng – – following week reach final new open yale losing huber raymond – – – reached second slam final year u open losing errani vinci – – first loss team liezel huber lisa raymond started early part year strongly winning successive title open gdf suez grönefeld martić –– – qatar total open kopsjones spear – – beat mirza vesnina dubai tennis championship – – bnp paribas open – – win title new open yale hlaváčková hradecká – – – summer olympics lost maria kirilenko nadia petrova bronze medal match – – – finished runnerup three tournament year apia international sydney losing peschke srebotnik – – – aegon classic babos hsieh – –– – aegon international llagostera vives martínez sánchez – ret october final spot went russian pairing maria kirilenko nadia petrova defeating cocontenders raquel kopsjones abigail spear semifinal kremlin cup maria kirilenko nadia petrova compiled solid season first final year sony ericsson open defeating italian pairing errani vinci –– – – reached first slam final team french open facing errani vinci time lost – – – faced errani vinci third time final unicef open fell short losing – – – olympics russian claimed bronze medal defeating american huber raymond petrova paired vania king mercury insurance open reached final losing kopsjones spear – – petrova also reached another final time katarina srebotnik rogers cup losing klaudia jansignacik mladenovic – – – edition yearend championship featured three current former world number one five grand slam champion two grand slam finalist two competitor made debut championship competitor divided two group representing color flag turkey red group consisted seed victoria azarenka seed serena williams seed angelique kerber seed li na white group composed seed maria sharapova seed agnieszka radwańska seed petra kvitová seed sara errani samantha stosur marion bartoli served alternate red group respective record group world victoria azarenka – serena williams – angelique kerber – li na – leading group azarenka poor record williams – lifetime lost last eight encounter time recently met final u open williams winning – – – kerber – record winning encounter last quarterfinal london olympics – – li headtohead tied – azarenka last three encounter coming last meeting – – – win quarterfinal mutua madrid open williams hand tied – headtohead kerber losing encounter western southern open – – li – lifetime last four encounter last encounter coming wimbledon championship – – kerber li headtohead – favor li last two encounter met time recently final western southern open li winning – – – white group headtoheads player within group maria sharapova – agnieszka radwańska – petra kvitová – sara errani – like williams sharapova good record member group radwańska – lifetime however lost encounter final sony ericsson open – – kvitová sharapova lead headtohead – winning last three encounter recently semifinal french open – – errani sharapova lead – winning matchup final french open – – radwańska hand mixed record kvitová errani trail kvitová – last encounter coming last year championship – – round robin matchup however errani radwańska lead headtohead – winning last four encounter recently second round mutua madrid open – – matchup kvitová errani czech owns – record errani three meeting coming straight set recently new open yale – – scoreline four double team started semifinal without group play headtohead record approached tournament action year tour championship began white group wimbledon finalist agnieszka radwańska wimbledon champion petra kvitová czech entered match match winning streak indoor court last defeat coming moscow radwańska never beaten kvitová raced early – lead see kvitová even thing – radwańska however regrouped win next three game take first set – kvitová dropped first two service game second able break back unable threaten steadier radwańska closed match – – scoreline followed wimbledon u open olympic champion serena williams wimbledon semifinalist first time qualifier angelique kerber similar first match williams raced early – lead see kerber even thing – however four game later williams able break kerber win first set – first three game went serve williams able break – lead held broke kerber serving match – – final match day featured french open champion maria sharapova french open finalist sara errani rematch french open final went serve errani failed convert either break point – sharapova serve russian broke serve eight game closed – sharapova carried second set winning – second day began red group wimbledon u open olympic champion serena williams french open champion li na match began williams breaking li serve take early – lead however li quick strike back reeling four game take – lead see williams comeback take four straight game take – lead serve set li able break love – broken right back williams served set broken love send set tiebreaker williams comfortably – take one set lead second began similar fashion li breaking – lead see williams reel four game take – lead rest set went serve williams closed match –– – followed world australian open champion victoria azarenka angelique kerber kerber raced early – lead azarenka however able level match – set went serve nearhistoric tiebreak kerber saved five set point – four huge forehand – claim – equallongest tiebreak history tournament first time kerber taken set azarenka two prior meeting second set began azarenka building – lead see kerber take three straight game lead – serving stay match azarenka saved match point ferocious ball striking even set – set went tiebreak azarenka – player went toe toe final set azarenka able break – serve match kerber able break right back unable hold serve serving stay match azarenka closing hour minute contest –– –– – final match day featured maria sharapova agnieszka radwańska rematch sony ericsson open final match began eleven straight hold serve radwańska able break sharapova take one set lead – sharapova broke radwańska beginning first set radwańska broke back immediately radwańska led – break sharapova took game row got broken serving set – sharapova took next two game take final set third set held serve fifth sixth game traded break serve sharapove broke eleventh game set served win – – – day began red group li na angelique kerber prior match li lead headtohead – looking first win event kerber amazing display azarenka hour loss started well led – however li came back first set – double fault german li closed second set winning – followed victoria azarenka serena williams rematch u open final match began seven straight hold serve williams able break – lead awith chance serve set azarenka able break straight back – unable hold serve doublefaulting give away set one – azarenka began second reeling three straight game – lead breaking williams twice along way however unable hold williams four straight game take – lead azarenka able hold – williams held – azarenka serve stay match however able hold serve doublefaulting match point williams improved record azarenka – advancing semifinal red group top player – match win record without loss set azarenka defeat li na advance semifinal secure year end maria sharapova chance end year winning title final match day featured sara errani u open champion samantha stosur entered event alternate due withdrawal defending champion petra kvitová errani match – – – double fault stosur stosur ended winner also unforced error erratic display wta ranking point atp world tour final wta tournament 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