Svetlana Kuznetsova successfully defended the Premier-level Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Saturday to secure the final spot for the WTA Finals in Singapore. The two-time Grand Slam champion blitz past Australia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 6-1. The Russian will have little time to celebrate this win since she needs to be in Singapore for her first match on Monday.
Kuznetsova knew that she needed to defend the title in Moscow in order to overtake Johanna Konta of Great Britain in the eighth spot.
It was love ?? from first … pic.twitter.com/ZGkpBlKFZA
— Svetlana Kuznetsova (@SvetlanaK27) October 22, 2016
“Before the match, when I was warming up, my body hurt. I felt tired, didn’t really know how I was going to play. I concentrated and thought that I had to be over it,” Kuznetsova said in an interview with Russian media. “Before the match I had the energy and the desire to play. I wanted to show good tennis and I am happy I succeeded.”
The former world number two encountered tough challengers in the quarterfinals and semifinals, having to overcome Timea Babos and Elina Svitolina respectively in three sets.
“I fought in every match. I tried to win. I had very tough matches because I didn’t felt comfortable with the tennis I played,” she said. “But I understood I could win even with bad tennis. I leveled up my tennis. Last year I was lower in my level but I managed to prepare one week before.”
The last time Kuznetsova participated at the WTA Finals was back in 2009. She will face defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday.
