CNN
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Caroline Garcia capped off a exceptional six-month interval in her tennis profession as she received the WTA Finals with a 7-6 6-4 victory in opposition to Aryna Sabalenka in Fort Price, Texas.
Garcia was outdoors the highest 70 on this planet rankings as just lately as June, however since then has loved an excellent run of kind, culminating within the greatest title of her profession on Monday.
“Positively quite a lot of large happiness” is how the 29-year-old described her feelings after overcoming Sabalenka in straight units – taking the primary set in a tie break, then breaking her opponent within the opening sport of the second set.
The victory sees Garcia turn out to be the second French participant to win the WTA Tour’s season-ending event after Amelie Mauresmo in 2005.
It additionally sees her rise to a profession excessive place of No. 4 on this planet rankings and take house $1.57 million in prize cash.
In an in depth first set, Garcia produced a ruthless serving efficiency – hitting 10 aces and profitable 81.5% of her first-serve factors – and got here to the web with good impact.
Sabalenka, who had ousted world No. 1 Iga Swiatek to earn a spot in Monday’s closing, produced three aces in reply but in addition noticed her serve turn out to be her undoing with two double faults within the tie break, together with one at hand Garcia the primary set.
It has been the acquainted story of Sabalenka’s season with the Belarusian recording 425 double faults in whole; no different participant has completed this yr within the 300s, in line with the WTA web site.
Within the first sport of the second set, Garcia broke Sabalenka with a robust forehand return having arrange the primary break level of the competition, then proceeded to serve out the match and wrap up her fourth title since June.
“With this event I believe from one match to a different I actually performed higher and higher,” Garcia advised Tennis Channel whereas sporting a Texan cowboy hat.
Regardless of a defeat in opposition to Swiatek final week, Garcia recoded victories in opposition to Coco Gauff, Daria Kasatkina and Maria Sakkari on the way in which to beating Sabalenka within the closing.