Caroline Garcia becomes second French player to win WTA Finals
What's the story
French star Caroline Garcia won the WTA Finals after beating Aryna Sabalenka in the championship match on Monday. The former claimed a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win, plundering a cash prize of $1.57 million and 1,375 rankings points. Garcia has become the first French player to win the WTA Finals after Amelie Mauresmo in 2005. Here are the key stats.
Run
A look at Garcia's run in the tournament
Garcia claimed straight-set wins over Coco Gauff and iga Swiatek in the group stage fixtures. Garcia then staged a terrific comeback against Daria Kasatkina, losing the first set. Garcia outclassed Maria Sakkari in the semi-finals. Beating Sabalenka, Garcia has now become the first player to reach the final at the WTA Finals after turning 29 since Venus in 2017.
Feats
Feats attained by Garcia
Garcia has become the 25th player to clinch the WTA Finals title. As stated, she is the second French player to win the WTA Finals after Amelie Mauresmo in 2005. Garcia is the fourth player to win the WTA Finals after turning 29. Martina Navratilova (1986), Jana Novotna (1997), and Serena Williams (2012, 2013, and 2014) are the others.
Semis
Garcia's win over Sakkari
Garcia now enjoys a perfect 3-0 W/L record over Sakkari. Notably, the French ace had claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win in their maiden match-up in 2017 Wuhan. She then bested her rival in three sets in R32 in Cincinnati, where she went on to claim the WTA 1000 title. Meanwhile, Garcia stamped her career-best seventh Top 10 win of the season.
Records
Other records of Garcia
Garcia became the first player to qualify for the final at WTA Finals after turning 29 since Venus Williams (2017). The former is also the first French player to win seven-plus matches against top 10 opponents in a year since Amelie Mauresmo (2009). Garcia is the third French player to reach the final at the WTA Finals after Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce.
Finals
Unbeaten in finals this year
It is to note that Garcia has won all the finals she featured in this year. In August, she defeated Petra Kvitova to win the Western and Southern Open. Earlier, she won the Paribas Poland Open after beating Ana Bogdan in the final. In June, Garcia scripted a scintillating comeback against Bianca Andreescu to win the Bad homburg Open.