Sport
Serena Williams beats Li Na to lift WTA Championships title
Serena Williams celebrates her win over Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, to win the WTA Championships title, October 27, 2013. PHOTO/Bulent Kilic/AFP
Serena Williams ended her best season in suitable style, coming from behind to beat Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday for her second straight WTA Championships title.
Williams collected her 11th title of the year and became the first player to repeat as champion at the season-ending event since Justine Henin in 2007.
The American won her fourth WTA Championship, having captured the elite tournament for the top eight players also in her debut in 2001 and in 2009 and 2012.
Williams has won 78 of 82 matches this year and will finish the year as the top-ranked player for the third time in her career after 2002 and 2009. Williams’ titles this year included the French and U.S. Opens for a total of 17 Grand Slam crowns. Her winning percentage of .951 is the best on the tour since 1990. Martina Navratilova had an 86-1 record and a .989 percentage in 1983.
Still, Williams said she would have preferred to have won at least one more Grand Slam title.
“I live to win slams. I mean, obviously I’m so excited to be the WTA champion,” Williams said. “I can’t say it’s the best season. I can’t say it’s not the best. I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
Li was in her first WTA Championships final and will finish the year at a career-high No. 3.
