Kontaveit advances to semifinals despite group stage loss
Anett Kontaveit's 12-match winning streak has finally come to an end as the Esotnian lost to Spanish player Garbine Muguruza in the final group stage match of the WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico. Kontaveit still advances to the semifinals as she won her first two group stage matches.
Muguruza defeated the Estonian 6:4, 6:4 while never dropping the lead in sets to advance to the semifinals alongside Kontaveit as the second player of the Teotihuacan group.
Kontaveit was not as good on her serve as in the first two matches of the tournament, she also committed many unforced errors. The Estonian lost her serve in the first game of the match and fell behind 1:3 in the opening set. She eventually reduced the lead to 4:5 in sets, but Muguruza realized a 6:4 set victory.
Muguruza won the first two games of the second set, also knocking off Kontaveit's serve in the first game. The two played a tight set until Muguruza clinched a victory with another 6:4 set.
The match lasted an hour and 28 minutes. Muguruza served up seven aces to Kontaveit's two in the nighttime conditions. Kontaveit committed 29 unforced errors to Muguruza's 20. The Spanish world four won 80 percent of her first serve points to the Estonian's 66 percent.
"I think [Muguruza] played a great match," Kontaveit said. "She was very aggressive, just very on it from the first point. I think I made way too many unforced errors. I mean, I don't think I played a very good match. I just wish I could have done a better job today."
Kontaveit started the tournament with a 6:3, 6:4 victory over Czech player Barbora Krejcikova last Wednesday night. Her second match of the tournament was against Czech player Karolina Pliškova and the Estonian bested the world number four 6:4, 6:0.
Kontaveit said she played very well in the first two matches of the tournament. "I have a lot to learn from today's match. I mean, I'm very happy that I managed to get to the semifinals," the Estonian said. "If I happen to play at night again, I'll definitely have to go out there and just practice and work on that length issue that I had today, just try and fix whatever I was doing for the next match."
Monday marks the final day of the showcase tournament's group stage and Kontaveit has already clinched a ticket to the semifinals with two wins and one loss in Group Teotihuacan. Group Chichen Itza will finish its group stage on Monday.
The semifinals are set to take place on Tuesday.
The season-ender WTA Finals tournament pits the eight best singles player of the season against each other in a robin round tournament. Kontaveit became the first Estonian ever to make the showcase tournament and has won three tournaments this season.
Lighting up the night ✨
— wta (@WTA) November 15, 2021
@GarbiMuguruza ends Kontaveit's winning streak with a commanding straight sets win!#AKRONWTAFinals pic.twitter.com/gSvt6TtisT
Day ️ standings!@PorscheTennis | #RoadToTheWTATrophy pic.twitter.com/FkbXhMw8VA
— wta (@WTA) November 15, 2021
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste