WTA Championships Day 5: Serena, Kvitova look to set up final showdown

Three of the oldest players and the youngest player in this year’s field have set up crackers of semi-final contests at the WTA Championships. Particularly noticeable is the fact that this is the first time since 1973 that two 30-year-olds have entered the last four. That perhaps gives a testament to Serena’s admirable motivation and focus at the age of 32 and Li Na’s equanimity and poise at 31. Can both of them make it to the prestigious summit clash on Sunday? We have a look at their respective matches.

(4) Li Na v (5) Petra Kvitova (Head-to-head: They are tied at 3-3)

It is tough to pick one of them when both are displaying their supreme skills. They can be devastating to watch when they are on fire. And they both have exhibited some of that fire in their respective campaigns this year. Li Na who has constantly been underlining that this year is even better and steadier than her Slam-winning 2011, has made it to the semi-finals for the first time and that too she did in style – by topping her group. She has looked sharp, hitting her crosscourt backhands and down-the-line forehands with precision and even volleying much more intrepidly. What’s interesting is, barring her first match Li’s usually jittery nerves haven’t flared up.

Similarly 2011 winner Petra Kvitova, after a lackluster year which saw her dealing with numerous viral illnesses have upped the intensity in the fall season. Catching fire in Tokyo where she triumphed and in Beijing where she made it to the last four, she arrived in Istanbul with confidence. And she has continued to show the brilliance of Petra Kvitova who had a stunning breakthrough in 2011. She has served with accuracy and has used her lethal forehand to perfection so many times. And the occasional smart, crisp volleys are back as well.

But both of these players do have a tendency to go off the boil after a lead. The pattern shows in their head-to-head encounters as four out of six matches have gone the distance, including their most recent face-off in Beijing which the Czech won. Li has incentive – she will be the highest-ranked Asian player ever at No. 3 if she secures this win. But Kvitova has her superior indoor record with 67 indoor victories which might make the difference.

Prediction: Kvitova wins in three sets.

(1) Serena Williams v (7) Jelena Jankovic (Head-to-head: Serena leads 7-4)

What do you do when you come up against a juggernaut? Or let’s put it this way, what do you do when you come up against someone who is perfection personified? Serena Williams has just been the juggernaut, rolling through her opponents with perfection and style not just in this tournament but throughout the entire year. With 10 titles, a modest Serena revealed in her press conferences that she is a little fatigued from her exploits this season and is happy to be still alive.

But when she is on the court, she is simply scything through her hapless opponents with not a single sign of the weariness. She has moved flawlessly on the court like a teenager and struck her serves and groundstrokes with venom.

And that definitely makes this one an uphill task for Jelena Jankovic. She herself has strung together admirable performances this year to leapfrog from outside the top 30s to inside the top 10 once again. The resurgent Serb who talked about losing her passion for the game when she was struggling, looks joyful to be back in the elite. And a semi-final appearance her fifth Wta Championships is just the fitting reward.

She has been defending excellently showing tremendous speed and footwork, striking the angular backhands with accuracy and mixing it up with dropshots and lobs so well. All that brilliant play came to the fore when she notched up a win over Victoria Azarenka. But would all that suffice against the World No. 1 who has been an epitome of perfection?

Not that the Serb isn’t familiar with a victory over the American. Her resume shows sparkling four victories over Serena and even this year she took a set off the World No. 1 in Charleston. But in their most recent encounter in Beijing, Serena rolled through her despite having a sore back. And that is an ominous sign indeed!

Prediction: Serena wins in straight sets.