The 2 players I predicted to reach the semi finals did on the final day of the round robin.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Azarenka mentally edged (8/8) Li 76(4) 63 to secure the year end number one ranking and a spot in her second straight WTA Championship semi final. In a scrappy and unconvincing performance by both, Li led 4-2 and served for the set at 5-4 but couldn't hold her initiative and Azarenka beat her for the 3rd time this year after racing off to a 4-1 lead in the 2nd.
2/2 Sharapova got revenge over (9/9) Stosur 60 63, dropping just 5 points in the 1st set! Stosur looked increasingly ready for a holiday!
4/4 Radwanska battled past (7/7) Errani 67(6) 75 64! In a 3 hour 29 minute war of attrition (the longest best of 3 match in WTA Championship history), both players used variety and touch to their best efforts. Errani led 2-0 and 5-4 in the 2nd, but Radwanska (surprisingly the fresher of the two) won the last 3 games without dropping a point before opening up a 3-0 3rd set lead. Though Errani came back, she had nothing left as the Pole moved through to the semis for the 1st time, rewarded for her increasing willingness to shorten the points and go to net. Still, on the back of two 3 hour plus matches, Radwanska admitted she would need extensive therapy to recover in time for the semis.
In keeping with the general theme of consistency amongst the elite in 2012, this is the 1st time since 2003 that the top 4 seeds will contest the semis and the 1st time since 1989 that the top 4 ranked women will contest them!
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