WTA Finals Singapore Day 3 Preview: Halep looks to topple Sharapova

Day 3 of the 2015 WTA Finals promises to be exciting with a blockbuster contest between former champion Maria Sharapova and top seed Simona Halep. The day’s other singles match features Agnieszka Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta, both of whom are looking for their first win. Here’s our preview:

(1) Simona Halep v (3) Maria Sharapova

Head-To-Head: Sharapova leads Halep 5-0

Halep (L) and Sharapova, were runner-up and winner respectively at the 2014 French Open

This is the match that had been on everybody’s minds ever since the draw came out. The pair are the current leaders in the Red Group and whoever wins this battle will take another step forward to the semi-finals.

The last three encounters between the Romanian No. 1 and the Russian multiple Slam champion have been long, dramatic three-set affairs – the Cincinnati quarter-finals, French Open final and Madrid Open final, all in 2014. And each time it was the Russian who emerged victorious.

They haven’t met for over a year and it will be interesting to see if, whatever has transpired in the intervening period, will have any bearing on the outcome of this match. If Halep has had one of her best hardcourt performances this year, Sharapova has struggled with an injury-riddled season.

Romanian Halep, who has reigned supreme at Shenzen, Dubai and Indian Wells in 2015, brought forth all that confidence in her 6-1, 6-3 dismantling of US Open winner Flavia Pennetta in her opening round robin clash on Sunday. She looked every bit the hungry competitor and seemed to have totally erased the memories of her recent shocking losses at Guangzhou and Wuhan.

Halep, who had a breakthrough showing last year at this Championships by reaching the final, once again looks thoroughly at ease on the slow indoor hardcourts of Singapore.

2004 champion Maria Sharapova, on the other hand, is making her comeback to full-fledged play after not having played a complete match since the Wimbledon semi-finals in July. An arm injury kept her out with her only match being the opening round at Wuhan where she retired in the third set.

Sharapova is still taking baby steps into the intensely competitive world of WTA but if her 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Agnieszka Radwanska in the opening match is anything to go by, it certainly indicates that the Russian is on the right track to recovery. She did have blips with her service but made up for it with oodles of firepower and her innate fighting spirit.

Even though Sharapova has never lost against Halep, the Romanian is looking forward to the match as she says – “I hope and believe I have my chance against her. I think it’s good timing to face her again.”

Halep has been showing some impressive display against power hitters lately. The way she absorbed Victoria Azarenka’s pace and power and served beautifully at the US Open was admirable.

The 2014 WTA Finals runner-up squandered her last three chances against Sharapova despite stretching the match to the distance. With Sharapova still rusty, this should be the World No. 2’s best possible opportunity to post her first ever win against the five-time major winner.

Pick: Halep in three sets

(5) Agnieszka Radwanska v (7) Flavia Pennetta

Head-To-Head: Radwanska leads 5-3

The pair met at Indian Wells last year

This is a battle between two players each of whom will desperately look for their first win at the 2015 Championships. Agnieszka Radwanska squandered a grand opportunity in her first match when she had a one-set advantage against Maria Sharapova. Even in the third set, Radwanska was quietly making her way back and had points to even the set at 5-5, only to lose it 4-6.

The Polish ace will rue that chance but she now squares off against a player she has beaten five out of eight times – the most recent being a 6-1, 6-1 hammering at Doha in February. That player is U.S. Open winner Flavia Pennetta.

The 33-year-old Italian is making her singles debut at the WTA Finals this year whereas Radwanska is immensely experienced having played at the gala year-ender five times. The fall season for these two veterans has been hugely contrasting too. While the Pole reached her peak having attained title glory at Tokyo and Tianjin, Pennetta hardly had any achievements of note at Beijing, Tianjin and Moscow after her surprising win at the US Open.

Perhaps it is just what the doctor ordered for Radwanska.

Pick: Radwanska in straight sets.