Wk.44.2- Texas on Her Mind

The legendary George Strait once sang, "Does Fort Worth ever cross your mind?" Well, when it comes to Caroline Garcia... yes, yes it will. For forever and a day. 'Cause good memories don't fade so easy.

What a journey. What an inspiration ??@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/pGYHgKNtpW

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 8, 2022

*WEEK 44 CHAMPIONS* WTA FINALS; FORT WORTH, TEXAS USA (Hard Court Indoor) S: Caroline Garcia/FRA def. Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 7-6(4)/6-4 D: Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens (RUS/BEL) def. Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE) 6-2/4-6 [11-9]

Believe it, Caro.

You're a WTA Finals champion!@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/WxNJzIJPdc

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Caroline Garcia/FRA ...for anyone who watched her play years ago (from Andy Murray on down the line), it was clear that Garcia had the goods to be something great. It was always just a matter of whether or not she truly believed it to be so.

For a while, in 2017-18, the Pastry found that inner greatness and climbed up the rankings, only to tumble back down over the past few years. As she approached the later chapters of her career, with the rise-or-possibly-fade-away junction of 30 just over the horizon next year, Garcia was apparently even questioning whether she'd be around much longer in the sport. But a coaching change last year away from her father began a process that picked up steam after her slow start (9-11) this season.

After winning her second Roland Garros doubles title in the spring, a big turn happened in the middle of the summer. With her ranking having fallen to almost #80, things finally "clicked." Behind an aggressive, often fearless on-court mindset and a big serve (she became the new tour ace leader in '22), Garcia flipped the switch one more that had seen her first climb into the Top 10 five years ago.

A title in Bad Homburg in June begat a Wimbledon Round of 16, then titles in Warsaw (and a first career #1 victory over Iga Swiatek on Polish clay) and Cincinnati (w/ three Top 10 wins, a career best). The French woman rolled out of summer with her maiden slam semifinal in New York.

But Garcia had gone just 1-3 since the U.S. Open as she arrived in Fort Worth for her second WTA Finals singles appearance, and just days before the start of play the coach (Bertrand Perret) who'd played such a large part in her resurgence abruptly left her team, citing vague reasons (father Garcia, perhaps?) that had made his time in the player's inner circle "less fun." At best, Garcia seemed a question mark for much success in the tour's season finale.

But the Pastry embraced all the accoutrements of a big time event in Texas -- e.g. western wear, boots and cowboy hats, etc. -- and quickly settled into a nice groove.

A cowgirl and a champion ????@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/16cSDh9PXI

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 8, 2022

With Juan Pablo Guzman serving in the role of coach for the WTAF, Garcia smiled and didn't skip a beat. In a round robin finale face-off for the final SF berth, she came within two points of a loss to Dasha Kasatkina, but her big-hitting aggression put away the Hordette down the stretch of a three-set victory. A 3 & 2 win over Maria Sakkari in the semis carried Garcia into her fourth '22 final (all since June, after not having appeared in any since '19), where she rode her serve to the biggest win of her career.

Garcia was never broken in her straight sets win over Aryna Sabalenka. In fact, she never even faced a break point in collecting her fourth Top 10 of the week. Surging from 0-2 down in the 1st set TB, Garcia grabbed the match lead, converted her only BP opportunity of the match on the Belarusian's serve in the opening game of the 2nd and held her edge before finally serving out the win, her fourth in four finals in '22 (she's now 10-1 in finals since 2016).

Since her 9-11 start, beginning with her Bad Homburg title run, Garcia has gone 36-9, jumping from a season low of #79 in late May/early June -- her lowest ranking since 2014 -- to what will now be a season-ending #4, matching her career-best standing from 2018.

?? Bad Homburg
?? Warsaw
?? Cincinnati
?? Fort Worth

An incredible six months for @CaroGarcia ??#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/wrTHNAvJZo

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

Whatever issues led to the very public exit of a clearly peeved Perret, at least for the past week, it turned out to be much ado about nothing when it came to Garcia maintaining (and actually surpassing) her recent level of success. Whether those issues -- whatever they are -- might carry over into '23 and prevent her momentum from continuing to lead to even grander things is a question that will only be answered over time. For now, though, Caro reigns as the belle of a big Texas ball. =============================================== RISER: Maria Sakkari/GRE ...after reaching a career-high of #3 in the spring, notching a win over defending champ Paula Badosa in Indian Wells, Sakkari went through a crisis of confidence that included panic attacks, losing her gameday train of thought and distancing herself from her team. By the end of the summer, she began to emerge from what she now calls "a dark place."

In the season's final swing, Sakkari followed the past lead of Iga Swiatek and brought aboard a sports psychologist. The move culminated in a final run in Parma, then the super-charged Guadalajara runner-up result that clinched her place in the Fort Worth field. She carried over her momentum throughout the week, putting up a sterling round robin performance as she returned to the semifinals one year after reaching that stage in her WTAF debut last year.

Without a Top 10 win since defeating Badosa, Sakkari went 3-0 in RR play, winning her group and becoming the first to clinch a SF berth. She ultimately fell in the semis to Caroline Garcia, and remains title-less since claiming a small event in Rabat in 2019. She's 1-6 in career tour finals. But after coming into '22 with a 3-14 career record in singles semis, Sakkari finished up this season at 4-3 in such matches (only to go 0-4 in the resulting finals). It's not where she *wants* to be, but it still counts as progress for a player only now *beginning* to become more comfortable with her lofty position in the sport.

Her *next* big step could be right around the corner in '23.

In Ostrava, Maria Sakkari decided to start working again with a sports psychologist:

"I think it was probably the best decision we’ve made. She helped me in the past so much & she has now helped me again overcome this difficult, dark place that I was in."https://t.co/lUOiye0ULD

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) November 2, 2022

=============================================== COMEBACK: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR ...Sabalenka will never be satisfied with her efforts unless she one day finally lifts an elusive slam singles trophy, but all credit to her for rescuing a season that -- in a lesser player's hands -- might have crashed and burned by summer (think Kiki Mladenovic in recent seasons) after she simply could not stop the overflowing number of double-faults coming from her racket in the opening weeks of 2022. Already an emotional figure on court, such frustration could have easily boiled over and resulted in a disastrous, Mugu-like monstrosity of a season. But that didn't happen.

Instead, Sabalenka gradually brought down her DF to a (generally) managable total, put together a pretty good slam year (10-3, with a U.S. semi, her third in her last five majors), added two 1000 semis and reached three tour-level singles finals, the last coming at these WTA Finals. She didn't win a title in 2022, her first trophy-free year since '17, but she never dropped out of the Top 10, and will finish there for a third straight season (after additional back-to-back #11-ranked years in 2018-19). Sabalenka's current 100+ plus week stretch of Top 10 rankings leads the tour by a fairly wide margin, with Maria Sakkari (at just under 70), and the combo of Iga Swiatek and Anett Kontaveit (tied, with a little over 50) next in the accounting line.

In Fort Worth, Sabalenka's tough season nearly turned glorious in the eleventh hour, as she rallied to defeat #2 Ons Jabeur in her RR opener, then added a victory over #3 Jessie Pegula before upsetting Iga Swiatek (her third career #1 win) in the semis, becoming just the fourth woman ever to defeat the top three ranked players in a single event.

True, Sabalenka's loss to Caroline Garcia and her unbreakable serve in the final means that the Belarusian is now the only player to pull off the 1-2-3 feat but *still* not win the tournament's title. But no one said the path to the only sort of prize that will soothe Sabalenka's frustrations would be a smooth, care-free one, did they? (Well, unless your name is Emma, I guess.)

Sabalenka remains on-deck as perhaps the current best -- or at least one of a handful of two or three -- remaining slam-less players on tour. When we check back here one year from now, will that *still* be the case? Maybe not.

So much to be proud of ??

Congratulations on an incredible year, @SabalenkaA!#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/GoSJiY5xpJ

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

=============================================== DOWN: Jessie Pegula/USA and Coco Gauff/USA ...two of the three players currently ranked in the Top 10 in singles *and* doubles (both were Top 5 heading into the WTAF), Pegula and Gauff left Fort Worth without a win between them, going a combined 0-6 in singles in their Finals debuts and 0-3 in round robin play as a doubles duo. They claimed just 1 of 13 singles sets, and dropped two doubles matches via match tie-breaks.

Pegula and Gauff were clearly exhausted, and Pegula ill, so the lackluster end to their career seasons, while stinging in real time, will take none of the shine off their '22 campaigns. Gauff is *scheduled* to play for the U.S. in the BJK Cup Finals in Glasgow -- Pegula has already withdrawn -- but one suspects her role might be more as part of the sideline cheering section than as an active participant.

I wish I could have given the fans more yesterday..I was not myself & the combination of a long year/getting sick hit me hard. However I’m so honored to be w/ the most amazing group of girls. Wishing them all the best in the rest of the tourney, we all have much to be proud of ?? pic.twitter.com/TzVpZWelSu

— Jessie Pegula (@JLPegula) November 5, 2022

Pegula's week was a truly whiplashing one, coming on the heels of her career-best Guadalajara title run, and with the schedule pushing her into playing both singles and doubles on Day 1, 3 and 5 during her time in Texas. Before half of the field had hit the court, she was already 0-2, and things never got better. She was the first eliminated from SF contention in both draws (on Day 3), but to her credit played out the remainder of the week rather than pull out once she was "playing for nothing."

Meanwhile, 18-year old Gauff was the youngest WTAF participant since 2005, and even with all her success still has holes to patch in her game. But, again, she's *still* only 18, and her season will be remembered for her pair of slam final appearances (s/d at Roland Garros) and #1 doubles ranking in her first campaign without being held back by the tour's age restrictions. She's already said the week will motivate her for '23 (see Iga's performance in the '21 WTAF?), while the eye-rolling social media machine that seems to enjoy dancing around any perceived Gauff stumbles will likely have even less to point at as the teenager's game matures even further over the next few years.

"It gives me a lot of motivation to do better, because losing sucks.

"I'm gonna remember this feeling and use when I practice."

From Coco Gauff to Jessica Pegula, #WTAFinals debutantes struggled to find a silver lining.

Read: https://t.co/L9yHzSeH9L pic.twitter.com/IyGMh7OtVq

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) November 7, 2022

===============================================

WTA Finals Forth Worth Women's Doubles Champion's Kudermetova V/Mertins E pic.twitter.com/6jQNZG5Ylr

— Ken mckinnon (@Kenmckinnon9) November 8, 2022

DOUBLES: Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens, RUS/BEL ...despite matching the 3-0 round robin mark of top-seeded Czechs Krejickova/Siniakova, and even after having led by a set and a break in the final, it's likely that most everyone thought Kuderemetova & Mertens were done for. But it wasn't the case.

Despite seeing the 2nd set slip through their fingers, with the Czechs winning 12 of 13 points to end the set and four of the first five in the match TB, coming within three points at 7-2 of defending their WTAF title, the ultimate winners of the title were on the other side of the net.

With the Czechs undefeated in their last seven finals (and 11-1 in their last 12), and Kudermetova/Mertens just 1-3 as a duo in finals in '22, it was the latter pair who strung together six straight points at the most important time in the match. A 7-2 deficit became an 8-7 advantage, and the comeback was finally completed on MP #2, ending an 11-9 MTB that gives Kudermetova/Mertens their biggest title together.

A former doubles #1, Mertens has now claimed 16 tour WD titles; while Kudermetova's fifth win (3rd in '22) will see her move to a new career-high of #2, right between Siniakova and Krejcikova in the final season rankings. Along with Jessie Pegula and Coco Gauff, the Hordette is one of three women to finish the season in the Top 10 in both singles and doubles.

YEE-HAW ????

Veronika Kudermetova | @elise_mertens | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/shD9bFvq3p

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

===============================================

Flying high ??@CaroGarcia completes her dream week with a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Sabalenka.#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/pMTRtG6b8G

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

1. WTAF Final - Caroline Garcia def. Aryna Sabalenka ...7-6(4)/6-4. A WTA 2.0 sort of final.

After neither player lost serve, or even faced a BP, in the opening set, Garcia erased a 2-0 TB deficit with a six-point streak. Sabalenka pulled within 6-4, but a DF on SP #3 finally handed the set to the Pastry.

The one and only BP in the match came in the opening game of the 2nd, and Garcia converted it to take the quick lead, then rode out her advantage en route to her biggest title, completing her June-to-November rise from #79 to #4.

LIFT IT UP ??@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/uPG8A5aPnz

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

Caro loves Texas. Texas loves Caro ??@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/jTRIEUvnY6

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

===============================================

Absolutely relentless power from Sabalenka ??@SabalenkaA | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/4Uogt5uIkR

— wta (@WTA) November 7, 2022

2. WTAF SF - Aryna Sabalenka def. Iga Swiatek ...6-2/3-6/6-1. Appropriately, Sabalenka brought her big game to Texas, outdueling Swiatek in three sets to reach her biggest career final, picking up her third career #1 win.

Not only is Sabalenka the first player to notch multiple #1 wins (w/ her defeat of Ash Barty in Madrid last year) in the 2020s, her Fort Worth run saw her become the first to defeat the world #1 and #2 in an event since 2018 (Bertens/Cincinnati) *and* become just the fourth *ever* to defeat the #1 (Iga), #2 (Jabeur) and #3 (Pegula) in one tournament. The last occurrance came in 2008, and Aryna joins a short list that includes only players named Steffi, Serena and Venus.

A triumphant effort ??@SabalenkaA completes the upset over World No.1 Swiatek, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 and will now take on Garcia in the championship final! ??#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/pcLHwzf2h3

— wta (@WTA) November 7, 2022

Unfortunately for Sabalenka, she turned out to be the only player to defeat the top three and *not* win the tournament's title, and just the third (of 37) -- after Monica Seles and Mary Pierce -- to defeat #1 and #2 in an event and not ultimately lift the trophy, as well.

Meanwhile, Iga's amazing season -- since she won't be in Glasgow -- ends with a loss, but only after losing the fewest games (13) while going 3-0 in RR play since Justine Henin dropped just 11 in 2007. She put up her 22nd bagel set this season in her match against Coco Gauff, and finishes the year 15-2 vs. Top 10 competition. =============================================== 3. WTAF RR - Caroline Garcia def. Dasha Kasatkina ...4-6/6-1/7-6(5). In a battle for the final semifinal berth, Garcia drops the 1st after leading 4-2, but battles back in the closing stanza.

The pair traded breaks in the 3rd, with the Pastry going up 1-0 and 3-2 only to see the Hordette immediately put things back on serve. Garcia saved a BP to hold for 4-4, then Kasatkina saved six to take a 5-4 lead. In the deciding TB, Kasatkina held an early mini-break edge at 2-1, but back-to-back errors put her 3-2 down. She never reclaimed the momentum. Garcia took a 5-3 lead, reached double-MP at 6-4, and finally put away the win on her second try to win 7-5.

Ending it with one of the BEST match points of the year ?

An absolutely INCROYABLE win from ???? @CaroGarcia to cement her spot in the final 4!#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/UVotvBoENw

— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2022

===============================================

Sabalenka: "The level was super high. Even though I lost the 1st set, I was able to win this match. This season, if I was losing the 1st set, I was losing the match.

"Playing No.2, losing the 1st set and still fight through it, that's why it's the biggest win of the season." pic.twitter.com/rtIuXPzsuu

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) November 1, 2022

4. WTAF RR - Aryna Sabalenka def. Ons Jabeur ...3-6/7-6(5)/7-5. Sabalenka and Jabeur kicked off their weeks with a Day 1 thriller, as Sabalenka rallied from 6-3/4-1 to win a 7-5 TB and force a 3rd set. Jabeur again took an early lead at 3-1 before Sabalenka got the set back on serve. She broke the Tunisian to close out the match, providing the "game-changer" moment that made her week possible.

Pure. Emotion. ??@SabalenkaA holds off Jabeur in a 3-6 ,7-6(5), 7-5 thriller.#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/87TA0eoA5U

— wta (@WTA) November 1, 2022

Respect ??@Ons_Jabeur | @SabalenkaA | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/XHbSeaoVVP

— wta (@WTA) November 1, 2022

===============================================

That was some game from Jabeur ??@Ons_Jabeur | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/pd6cYabuC1

— wta (@WTA) November 2, 2022

5. WTAF RR - Ons Jabeur def. Jessie Pegula ...1-6/6-3/6-3. Pegula's week turned irretrievably against her when she saw Jabeur flip a love/40 deficit in the opening game of the 3rd set, saving 5 BP and getting the hold. She rolled from there to the finish line, eliminating Pegula and recording her own first Top 10 win since Rome (though she made *two* slam finals in the interim).

Maintaining the theme of her season (and career), Jabeur's match win was appropriately historic...

HISTORY FOR TUNISIA ???? @Ons_Jabeur defeated No.3 seed Jessica Pegula 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to become the first Tunisian to win a #WTAFinals match. #WTA pic.twitter.com/R2CELQIlBg

— Sport Africa (@SportAfricaNews) November 3, 2022

Ons Jabeur is just the 4th African player to win a match at the #WTAFinals, joining Sally Hudson-Beck (1972), Laura Rossouw (1973) and Amanda Coetzer (1993 and 2000).

Jabeur defeats Jessica Pegula 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) November 2, 2022

=============================================== 6. WTAF RR - Anna Danilina/Beatriz Haddad Maia def. Gaby Dabrowski/Giuliana Olmos ...7-5/6-0. One day the WTA will run out of national "firsts." But that day has not yet arrived.

HISTORY FOR BRAZIL ????

Beatriz Haddad Maia is the first Brazilian to win a WTA Finals match ??#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/Ne6XeAic6u

— wta (@WTA) November 2, 2022

=============================================== 7. WTA RR - Gaby Dabrowski/Giuliana Olmos def. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Alona Ostapenko ...7-6(5)/2-6 [12-10]. See what I mean?

VIVA MEXICO ????@guguolmos is the first Mexican player to win a WTA Finals match ??#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/XgVZICFntw

— wta (@WTA) November 3, 2022

Last year, teaming with a different Canadian (Sharon Fichman), Olmos went 0-3 in RR play. ===============================================

Pure delight ??

Veronika Kudermetova & @elise_mertens outlast defending champions Krejcikova & Siniakova in a 6-2, 4-6, [11-9] thriller!#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/zGEwmosUN9

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

1. WTAF Final - Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens def. Barbora Krejcikova/Elise Mertens ...6-2/4-6 [11-9]. A year after losing to the Czechs in the WTAF final alongside Hsieh Su-wei, Mertens gets a measure of revenge by adding her first tour championships crown to her collection of three of the four majors (she's missing only RG).

Kudermetova/Mertens led by a set and a break at 4-3, only to then lose 12 of 13 points to end the 2nd and fall behind 4-1 and 7-2 in the MTB. With Krejcikova & Siniakova seemingly set to successfully defend their title, the Russian/Belgian pair roared back with six straight points to lead 8-7, finally putting away their biggest title as a pair on their second MP.

Like Swiatek, Krejickova & Siniakova's regular season ends with a defeat, but it hardly puts any long-lasting blemish on a fabulous season that saw them go 18-0 in slams, complete a Career Doubles Slam, and have a two-year, nine-match WTAF winning streak going until dropping the MTB. Even with the loss, over the last two years the Czechs have compiled a 44-4 mark in slam, Olympic and WTAF competition.

Meanwhile, does any active player do a better job than Krejcikova of paying homage to the greats (especially the Czech-born ones) who came before her?

Respect ??

Classy words from @BKrejcikova to @Martina ?? #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/79698XMZM5

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

===============================================

Introducing the 'Billie Blue' winner’s jacket by @ToryBurch ??

The jacket will be awarded to the winners of the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals ??
#BJKCupFinals | @ToryBurchFdn | @BillieJeanKing pic.twitter.com/Ja5p0ithxF

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 7, 2022

Elegance. Class. The first of its kind.

Find out more ?? https://t.co/MqV1j5CV38
#BJKCupFinals | @toryburch | @toryburchfdn pic.twitter.com/bO1NIGxB4d

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 7, 2022

Completely overwhelmed with emotion over this! Pushed my body to the absolute limit and it was MORE than worth it! First marathon in the books and already looking forward to the next! ??????????? pic.twitter.com/Z3aN6sQzwj

— Monica Puig (@MonicaAce93) November 6, 2022

.@CatyMcNally joins Team ???? for the @BJKCup Finals in Glasgow.

— USTA (@usta) November 7, 2022

They don't call her GIF machine for nothing. #Ostapenko pic.twitter.com/am9BspYm0t

— Tennis GIFs ???? (@tennis_gifs) November 6, 2022

"To finish like this of course it hurts but looking back, everything that happened this season, I have to be happy and proud of myself."

Kudos to an amazing 2022 season, @DKasatkina! So many positives to take and incredibly proud of everything you have achieved. pic.twitter.com/AU3wj70lYF

— WTARussians (@WTArussians) November 6, 2022

Just a couple of cowgirls having fun in Fort Worth ??@CaroGarcia | @SabalenkaA | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/JNdNlu5spZ

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 8, 2022

Iconique pic.twitter.com/CuF9KZ7fjh

— Marty (@Svitoflopina) November 8, 2022

*2022 WTA SINGLES TITLES*
8 - Iga Swiatek (Doha/I.W./Mia/Stutt/Rome/RG/US/SD)
4 - CAROLINE GARCIA (Bad Homburg/Warsaw/Cincinnati/WTAF)
3 - Liudmila Samsonova (Washington/Cleveland/Tokyo)
[2020-22]
11 - 1/2/8 - Iga Swiatek
7 - 1/5/1 - Ash Barty (ret.)
5 - 3/0/2 - Simona Halep
5 - 0/4/1 - Anett Kontaveit
5 - 0/3/2 - Barbora Krejcikova
5 - 3/2/0 - Aryna Sabalenka
4 - 0/0/4 - CAROLINE GARCIA
4 - 0/2/2 - Dasha Kasatkina
4 - 0/1/3 - Liudmila Samsonova

*2022 - TOP 10 FINALS*
Sydney - #9 Badosa def. #4 Krejcikova
Saint Petersburg - #9 Kontaveit def. #7 Sakkari
Doha - #8 Swiatek def. #7 Kontaveit
Indian Wells - #4 Swiatek def. #6 Sakkari
Stuttgart - #1 Swiatek def. #4 Sabalenka
Rome - #1 Swiatek def. #7 Jabeur
US Open - #1 Swiatek def. #5 Jabeur
Guadalajara - #5 Pegula def. #6 Sakkari
WTAF - #6 Garcia def. #7 Sabalenka

*DEFEATED #1, #2 and #3-RANKED PLAYERS IN EVENT*
1999 #6 Graf...RG (#2 Davenport, #3 Seles, #1 Hingis)
2002 #9 S.Williams...Mia. (#3 Hingis, #2 V.Williams, #1 Capriati)
2008 #8 V.Williams...WTA Chsp. (#2 Safina, #3 S.Williams, #1 Jankovic)
2022 #7 Sabalenka (L)...WTAF (#2 Jabeur, #3 Pegula, #1 Swiatek)
--
NOTE: all but Sablenka won event title

*DEFEATED #1 and #2-RANKED PLAYERS IN EVENT - since 2005*
2005 #7 Serena Williams = AO: #2 Mauresmo,#1 Davenport
2005 #14 Venus Williams = WI: #2 Sharapova, #1 Davenport
2005 #5 Mary Pierce (L) = WTA: #2 Clijsters, #1 Davenport
2006 #4 Maria Sharapova = US: #1 Mauresmo, #2 Henin-H.
2006 #3 Justine Henin-H. = WTA: #2 Sharapova, #1 Mauresmo
2007 #18 Serena Williams = MIA: #2 Sharapova, #1 Henin
2008 #8 Venus Williams = WTA: #2 Safina, #1 Jankovic
2009 #7 Svetlana Kuznetsova = RG: #2 S.Williams, #2 Safina
2010 #5 Elena Dementieva = SYD: #2 Safina, #1 S.Williams
2010 #4 Kim Clijsters = WTA: #2 Zvonareva, #1 Wozniacki
2012 #9 Serena Williams = MAD: #2 Sharapova, #1 Azarenka
2012 #3 Serena Williams = WTA: #1 Azarenka, #2 Sharapova
2017 #6 Garbine Muguruza = CIN: #1 Pliskova, #2 Halep
2018 #17 Kiki Bertens = CIN: #2 Wozniacki, #1 Halep
2022 #7 Aryna Sabalenka (L) = WTA: #2 Jabeur, #1 Swiatek
--
NOTE: 37 times since 1975; only Seles (2001 San Diego), Pierce (2005 WTAC) and Sabalenka (2022 WTAF) didn't win title
--
[MOST TIMES]
8 - Serena Williams
4 - Venus Williams
3 - Tracy Austin
2 - Kim Clijsters
2 - Steffi Graf
2 - Justine Henin
2 - Martina Navratilova

*CAREER #1 WINS - active*
15 - Venus Williams
7 - Svetlana Kuznetsova
6 - Petra Kvitova
6 - Elina Svitolina
4 - Belinda Bencic
4 - Alize Cornet
4 - Garbine Muguruza
3 - Victoria Azarenka
3 - Sofia Kenin
3 - ARYNA SABALENKA
3 - CoCo Vandeweghe
--
ALSO: 17-S.Williams

*2020-22 WINS OVER #1*
[2020]
Brisbane 2nd Rd. - #53 Jennifer Brady/USA def. #1 Barty
Aust. Open SF - #15 Sofia Kenin/USA def. #1 Barty (W)
Doha SF - #11 Petra Kvitova/CZE def. #1 Barty
[2021]
Aust.Open QF - #27 Karolina Muchova/CZE d. Barty
Adelaide 2nd Rd. - #37 Danielle Collins/USA d. Barty
Charleston QF - #71 Paula Badosa/ESP d. Barty
Madrid Final - #7 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR d. Barty (W)
Rome QF - #35 Coco Gauff/USA d. Barty (ret.)
Roland Garros 2r - #45 Magda Linette/POL d. Barty (ret.)
Olympics 1r - #48 Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP d. Barty
U.S. Open 3r - #43 Shelby Rogers/USA d. Barty
[2022]
Wimbledon 3rd Rd. - #37 Alize Cornet/FRA d. Swiatek
Warsaw QF - #45 Caroline Garcia/FRA d. Swiatek (W)
Toronto 3rd Rd. - #24 Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA d. Swiatek
Cincinnati 3rd Rd. - #24 Madison Keys/USA d. Swiatek
Ostrava!!! F - #23 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE d. Swiatek (W)
WTA Finals SF - #7 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR d. Swiatek
--
(W) - won title

*MOST WTA FINALS in 2020's - 1920-22*
12 - 1/2/9 = Iga Swiatek (11-1)
12 - 1/7/4 = Anett Kontaveit (5-6-1)
9 - 1/6/2 = Ash Barty (8-1)
9 - 3/3/3 = ARYNA SABALENKA (5-4)
9 - 0/3/6 = Ons Jabeur (3-6)

*2022 WTA DOUBLES TITLES*
6 - Katerina Siniakova, CZE
5 - Jessie Pegula, USA
4 - Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
3 - Gaby Dabrowski, CAN
3 - Coco Gauff, USA
3 - Eri Hozumi, JPN
3 - Lyudmyla Kichenok, UKR
3 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
3 - VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA, RUS
3 - Makoto Ninomiya, JPN
3 - Storm Sanders, AUS
3 - Laura Siegemund, GER
2 - Anna Danilina, KAZ
2 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
2 - Magda Linette, POL
2 - Caty McNally, USA
2 - Nicole Melichar-Martinez, USA
2 - ELISE MERTENS, BEL
2 - Giuliana Olmos, MEX
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2 - Ellen Perez, AUS
2 - Luisa Stefani, BRA
2 - Xu Yifan, CHN
2 - Yang Zhaoxuan, CHN
2 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS
[duos]
3...Gauff/Pegula, USA/USA
3...Hozumi/Ninomiya, JPN/JPN
3...Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2...Dabrowski/Olmos, CAN/MEX
2...L.Kichenok/Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
2...V.KUDERMETOVA/MERTENS, RUS/BEL
2...Siegemund/Zvonareva, GER/RUS
2...Xu Yifan/Yang Zhaoxuan, CHN/CHN
[2020-22 - individuals]
13 - Katerina Siniakova (1/6/6)
9 - Barbora Krejcikova (1/5/3)
7 - ELISE MERTENS (1/4/2)
6 - Shuko Aoyama (1/5/0)
6 - Hsieh Su-wei (4/2/0)
6 - Nicole Melichar-Martinez (2/2/2)
6 - Kristina Mladenovic (2/0/4)
6 - Ena Shibahara (1/5/0)
5 - Desirae Krawczyk (2/2/1)
5 - Jessie Pegula (0/0/5)
5 - Demi Schuurs (2/2/1)
4 - Gaby Dabrowski (0/1/3)
4 - Coco Gauff (0/1/3)
4 - Alexa Guarachi (1/3/0)
4 - Lyudmyla Kichenok (0/1/3)
4 - Nadiia Kichenok (1/2/1)
4 - VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA (0/1/3)
4 - Caty McNally (0/2/2)
4 - Giuliana Olmos (1/1/2)
4 - Ellen Perez (0/2/2)
4 - Storm Sanders (1/0/3)
4 - Laura Siegemund (1/0/3)
4 - Luisa Stefani (1/1/2)
4 - Barbora Strycova (4/0 ret.)
[2020-22 - duos]
9...Krejcikova/Siniakova (1/5/3)
6...Aoyama/Shibahara (1/5/0)
4...Hsieh/Strycova (4/0 ret.)
3...Gauff/Pegula (0/0/3)
3...Guarachi/Krawczyk (1/2/0)
3...Hozumi/Ninomiya (0/0/3)
3...V.KUDERMETOVA/MERTENS (0/1/2)
3...Melichar/Schuurs (1/2/0)
3...Siegemund/Zvonareva (1/0/2)

*2022 WTA DOUBLES FINALS*
7 (6-1) = KATERINA SINIAKOVA, CZE
6 (5-1) = Jessie Pegula, USA
6 (3-3) = VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA, RUS
6 (2-3+L) = ELISE MERTENS, BEL
6 (2-4) = Nicole Melichar-Martinez, USA
5 (2-1+WL) = Lyudmyla Kichenkok, UKR
5 (3-2) = Coco Gauff, USA
5 (3-2) = Gaby Dabrowski, CAN
5 (2-3) = Anna Danilina, KAZ
5 (2-3) = Ellen Perez, AUS
4 (4-0) = Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
4 (3-1) = BARBORA KREJCIKOVA, CZE
4 (3-1) = Laura Siegemund, GER
4 (2-2) = Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
4 (2-2) = Caty McNally, USA
4 (2-2) = Giuliana Olmos, MEX
4 (1-1+WL) = Alona Ostapenko, LAT
4 (1-2+L) = Zhang Shuai, CHN
4 (1-3) = Erin Routliffe, NZL
4 (0-4) = Alicja Rosolska, POL
[2022 finals - duos]
5...V.KUDERMETOVA/MERTENS, RUS/BEL (2-3)
4...KREJCIKOVA/SINIAKOVA, CZE/CZE (3-1)
4...Gauff/Pegula, USA/USA (3-1)
4...Dabrowski/Olmos, CAN/MEX (2-2)
4...L.Kichenok/Ostapenko, UKR/LAT (1-1+WL)
4...Melichar-Martinez/Perez, USA/AUS (1-3)
3...Hozumi/Ninomiya, JPN/JPN (3-0)
3...Danilina/Haddad Maia, KAZ/BRA (1-2)

=WTA CHAMPIONSHIP/WTAF WS FINALS=
1972 Chris Evert d. Kerry Reid
1973 Chris Evert d.Nancy Richey
1974 Evonne Goolagong d. Chris Evert
1975 Chris Evert d. Martina Navratilova
1976 Evonne Goolagong d. Chris Evert
1977 Chris Evert d. Sue Barker
1978 Martina Navratilova d. Evonne Goolagong
1979 Martina Navratilova d. Tracy Austin
1980 Tracy Austin d. Martina Navratilova
1981 Martina Navratilova d. Andrea Jaeger
1982 Sylvia Hanika d. Martina Navratilova
1983 Martina Navratilova d. Chris Evert-Lloyd
1984 Martina Navratilova d. Chris Evert-Lloyd
1985 Martina Navratilova d. Helena Sukova
1986a Martina Navratilova d. Hana Mandlikova
1986b Martina Navratilova d. Steffi Graf
1987 Steffi Graf d. Gabriela Sabatini
1988 Gabriela Sabatini d. Pam Shriver
1989 Steffi Graf d. Martina Navratilova
1990 Monica Seles d. Gabriela Sabatini
1991 Monica Seles d. Martina Navratilova
1992 Monica Seles d. Martina Navratilova
1993 Steffi Graf d. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1994 Gabriela Sabatini d. Lindsay Davenport
1995 Steffi Graf d. Anke Huber
1996 Steffi Graf d. Martina Hingis
1997 Jana Novotna d. Mary Pierce
1998 Martina Hingis d. Lindsay Davenport
1999 Lindsay Davenport d. Martina Hingis
2000 Martina Hingis d. Monica Seles
2001 Serena Williams w/o Lindsay Davenport
2002 Kim Clijsters d. Serena Williams
2003 Kim Clijsters d. Amelie Mauresmo
2004 Maria Sharapova d. Serena Williams
2005 Amelie Mauresmo d. Mary Pierce
2006 Justine Henin-Hardenne d. Amelie Mauresmo
2007 Justine Henin d. Maria Sharapova
2008 Venus Williams d. Vera Zvonareva
2009 Serena Williams d. Venus Williams
2010 Kim Clijsters d. Caroline Wozniacki
2011 Petra Kvitova d. Victoria Azarenka
2012 Serena Williams d. Maria Sharapova
2013 Serena Williams d. Li Na
2014 Serena Williams d. Simona Halelp
2015 Aga Radwanska d. Petra Kvitova
2016 Dominika Cibulkova d. Angelique Kerber
2017 Caroline Wozniacki d. Venus Williams
2018 Elina Svitolina d. Sloane Stephens
2019 Ash Barty d. Elina Svitolina
2021 Garbine Muguruza d. Anett Kontaveit
2022 Caroline Garcia d. Aryna Sabalenka

=WTA CHAMPIONSHIP/WTAF WD CHAMPIONS=
1973 Rosie Casals / Margaret Court
1974 Billie Jean King / Rosie Casals
1975 Margaret Court / Virginia Wade
1976 Billie Jean King / Betty Stove
1977 Martina Navratilova / Betty Stove
1978 Billie Jean King / Martina Navratilova
1979 Francoise Durr / Betty Stove
1980 Billie Jean King / Martina Navratilova
1981 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1982 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1983 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1984 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1985 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1986a Hana Mandlikova / Wendy Turnbull
1986b Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1987 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1988 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1989 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1990 Kathy Jordan / Liz Smylie
1991 Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver
1992 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario / Helena Sukova
1993 Gigi Fernandez / Natalia Zvereva
1994 Gigi Fernandez / Natalia Zvereva
1995 Jana Novotna / Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1996 Lindsay Davenport / Mary Joe Fernandez
1997 Lindsay Davenport / Jana Novotna
1998 Lindsay Davenport / Natasha Zvereva
1999 Martina Hingis / Anna Kournikova
2000 Martina Hingis / Anna Kournikova
2001 Lisa Raymond / Rennae Stubbs
2002 Elena Dementieva / Janette Husarova
2003 Virginia Ruano-Pascual / Paola Suarez
2004 Nadia Petrova / Meghann Shaughnessy
2005 Lisa Raymond / Samantha Stosur
2006 Lisa Raymond / Samantha Stosur
2007 Cara Black / Liezel Huber
2008 Cara Black / Liezel Huber
2009 Nuria Llagostera-Vives / Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez
2010 Gisela Dulko / Flavia Pennetta
2011 Liezel Huber / Lisa Raymond
2012 Maria Kirilenko / Nadia Petrova
2013 Hsieh Su-Wei / Peng Shuai
2014 Cara Black / Sania Mirza
2015 Martina Hingis / Sania Mirza
2016 Ekaterina Makarova / Elena Vesnina
2017 Timea Babos / Andrea Hlavackova
2018 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic
2019 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic
2021 Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova
2022 Veronika Kudermetova / Elise Mertens

*2022 WTA CHAMPIONS BY RANKING*
#1 - Ash Barty (Adelaide 1)
#1 - Ash Barty (Australian Open)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Stuttgart)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Rome)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (US Open)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (San Diego)
#2 - Iga Swiatek (Miami)
#4 - Iga Swiatek (Indian Wells)
#4 - Ons Jabeur (Berlin)
#5 - Jessie Pegula (Guadalajara 1000)
#6 - Caroline Garcia (WTA Finals)
#8 - Iga Swiatek (Doha)
#9 - Paula Badosa (Sydney)
#9 - Anett Kontaveit (Saint Petersburg)
#10 - Ons Jabeur (Madrid)
#10 - Dasha Kasatkina (Granby)
#12 - Dasha Kasatkina (San Jose)
#15 - Simona Halep (Toronto)
#20 - Simona Halep (Melbourne 1)
#21 - Alona Ostapenko (Dubai)
#21 - Leylah Fernandez (Monterrey)
#21 - Belinda Bencic (Charleston)
#22 - Angelique Kerber (Strasbourg)
#23 - Elena Rybakina (Wimbledon)
#23 - Barbora Krejcikova (Ostrava!!!)
#24 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Seoul)
#27 - Barbora Krejcikova (Tallinn)
#30 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rosmalen)
#30 - Liudmila Samsonova (Tokyo)
#31 - Petra Kvitova (Eastbourne)
#32 - Beatriz Haddad Maia (Birmingham)
#35 - Caroline Garcia (Cincinnati)
#42 - Elise Mertens (Monastir)
#45 - Irina-Camelia Begu (Palermo)
#45 - Caroline Garcia (Warsaw)
#45 - Liudmila Samsonova (Cleveland)
#48 - Beatriz Haddad Maia (Nottingham)
#57 - Sloane Stephens (Guadalajara 250)
#60 - Liudmila Samsonova (Washington)
#64 - Zhang Shuai (Lyon)
#66 - Marie Bouzkova (Prague)
#74 - Mayar Sherif (Parma)
#75 - Caroline Garcia (Bad Homburg)
#78 - Amanda Anisimova (Melbourne 2)
#81 - Bernarda Pera (Hamburg)
#82 - Katerina Siniakova (Portoroz)
#85 - Martina Trevisan (Rabat)
#85 - Petra Martic (Lausanne)
#87 - Madison Keys (Adelaide 2)
#122 - Anastasia Potapova (Istanbul)
#130 - Bernarda Pera (Budapest)
#130 - Linda Fruhvirtova (Chennai)
#138 - Anna Blinkova (Cluj-Napoca)
#237 - Tatjana Maria (Bogota)

*2022 WTA CHAMPIONS BY AGE*
34 - Tatjana Maria (Bogota)
34 - Angelique Kerber (Strasbourg)
33 - Zhang Shuai (Lyon)
32 - Petra Kvitova (Eastbourne)
31 - Petra Martic (Lausanne)
31 - Irina-Camelia Begu (Palermo)
30 - Simona Halep (Toronto)
30 - Simona Halep (Melbourne 1)
29 - Caroline Garcia (WTA Finals)
28 - Sloane Stephens (Guadalajara 250)
28 - Martina Trevisan (Rabat)
28 - Caroline Garcia (Cincinnati)
28 - Caroline Garcia (Warsaw)
28 - Caroline Garcia (Bad Homburg)
28 - Jessie Pegula (Guadalajara 1000)
27 - Ons Jabeur (Berlin)
27 - Ons Jabeur (Madrid)
27 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Seoul)
27 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rosmalen)
27 - Bernarda Pera (Hamburg)
27 - Bernarda Pera (Budapest)
26 - Madison Keys (Adelaide 2)
26 - Anett Kontaveit (Saint Petersburg)
26 - Beatriz Haddad Maia (Birmingham)
26 - Beatriz Haddad Maia (Nottingham)
26 - Katerina Siniakova (Portoroz)
26 - Mayar Sherif (Parma)
26 - Barbora Krejcikova (Ostrava!!!)
26 - Barbora Krejcikova (Tallinn)
26 - Elise Mertens (Monastir)
25 - Ash Barty (Australian Open)
25 - Ash Barty (Adelaide 1)
25 - Belinda Bencic (Charleston)
25 - Dasha Kasatkina (Granby)
25 - Dasha Kasatkina (San Jose)
24 - Paula Badosa (Sydney)
24 - Alona Ostapenko (Dubai)
24 - Marie Bouzkova (Prague)
24 - Anna Blinkova (Cluj-Napoca)
23 - Elena Rybakina (Wimbledon)
23 - Liumdila Samsonova (Tokyo)
23 - Liumdila Samsonova (Cleveland)
23 - Liudmila Samsonova (Washington)
21 - Anastasia Potapova (Istanbul)
21 - Iga Swiatek (San Diego)
21 - Iga Swiatek (US Open)
21 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
20 - Iga Swiatek (Rome)
20 - Iga Swiatek (Stuttgart)
20 - Iga Swiatek (Miami)
20 - Iga Swiatek (Indian Wells)
20 - Iga Swiatek (Doha)
20 - Amanda Anisimova (Melbourne 2)
19 - Leylah Fernandez (Monterrey)
17 - Linda Fruhvirtova (Chennai)

Attention Twitter:
From now on Twitter TOS regulations will change on a daily basis depending on what hurts Elon Musk’s feels.

— William Buecker (GA Male) (@wcbuecker) November 6, 2022

Everything happening on Twitter now is a lot easier to understand if you‘ve ever had a younger sibling that invented a game and added a new rule every time they started losing.

— Andrew Nadeau (@TheAndrewNadeau) November 7, 2022

Be wary of men with thin skin.

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) November 7, 2022

LIFT IT UP ??@CaroGarcia | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/uPG8A5aPnz

— wta (@WTA) November 8, 2022

All for now.