Caroline Garcia plopped on a cowboy hat to go along with the trophy she was holding after telling followers she had loved her first journey to Texas.
There was lots for the Frenchwoman to love in Cowtown.
Garcia took a decent first set and went on to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 victory over Aryna Sabalenka to win the championship match of the WTA Finals on Monday night time.
The sixth-ranked Garcia turned the second participant from France to win the season-ending occasion after Amelie Mauresmo in 2005, additionally the final time the WTA Finals have been held within the US.
Tied within the deciding sport of a match with only one break level, Garcia’s service winner gave her a second probability to shut it out. When Sabalenka despatched a forehand lengthy, Garcia dropped to the court docket on her again and put clenched fists over her eyes.
“It’s definitely a lot of joy and happiness,” Garcia mentioned informed reporters about an hour later, cowboy hat nonetheless on and with the trophy on a desk simply to her left.
“It’s been a crazy, crazy final, a lot of intensity on every single point from the beginning.”
The occasion was moved to Texas from China over considerations in regards to the security of Peng Shuai, a grand slam doubles champion who accused a former authorities official there of sexual assault. Coronavirus restrictions additionally performed a component within the resolution.
Garcia gained her final six units after dropping the primary in a winner-take-all match in opposition to Daria Kasatkina in group play. The 29-year-old is the oldest WTA Finals winner since Serena Williams at 33 in 2014.
The solely participant to win titles on all three surfaces this season, Garcia was simply as snug as Sabalenka on the short-term indoor onerous court docket at Dickies Arena.
As a outcome, Garcia handed the No.7 participant from Belarus simply her third loss in 12 profession hard-court finals. The 24-year-old Sabalenka was making an attempt to develop into the primary from her nation to win the WTA Finals.
Sabalenka reached the title match by beating top-ranked Pole Iga Swiatek.
Going into the WTA Finals, Garcia was the one entrant within the eight-player subject to beat Swiatek — however was ranked forty fifth when she did it on the Poland Open in July. Garcia went on to her greatest grand slam end, reaching the semis on the US Open.
“I’m impressed with what she’s done this season,” Sabalenka mentioned.
“I think there’s many more finals for her. Hopefully we’ll play against each other in the finals, and hopefully I will win the next one.”
Garcia’s fourth victory of the season is second solely to Swiatek’s eight.
Earlier within the day, Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens beat defending champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 6-2 4-6 11-9 to win the doubles title.
