It has been an impressive year for the 29-year-old, just in June she was outside the Top 70 in the world rankings. This season, she has won four titles and has made it to the semifinals of the US Open. Now, after her WTA Finals win, she will rise to No.4.
She came into the WTA finals as sixth-seeded. “It was a great match. I really went for it,” she said.
“A crazy final, a lot of intensity on every point. Just really proud of the work we did throughout the year. I’m really happy to win my biggest title.”
It was a tense first set and neither ladies conceded a breakpoint.
“Sometimes you are emotional or things don’t go your way,” added Garcia. She is just the second French player to win the WTA title following Amelie Mauresmo in 2005.
“Sometimes there is a big fight, so you have to find your way through it and that was one of the biggest points I improved. Today one of the most important things was to stay calm and jump on every opportunity.”
Sabalenka who takes the runner-up spot, will rise to World No.5. She said that she momentarily lapsed in concentration several times during the match.
“I just dropped my level for a little bit - on the tie-break and in the first game of the second set,” she said.
“The key moments, I dropped my level. That’s it.”