Bertens stuns world number one Barty as Osaka pulls out of WTA Finals

Shenzhen: Shenzhen: Kiki Bertens ca,e from behind to beat world number one Ashleigh Barty 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a three-set thriller for an upset victory at the WTA Finals on Tuesday.

The victory has changed the equations on the top of the table and left the tournament wide open.

Bertens displayed a great courage to rally from a set down and stage an emphatic victory over her opponent who is nine spots ahead in ranking.

The world No.10 looked in deep trouble at a set and break down, but turned the tide with ruthless returning and aggressive play at the net to overwhelm a deflated Barty, who could have sealed a spot in the semi-finals with victory.

Bertens won in two hours and nine minutes in a see-saw match that kept on tilting to and fro every now and then and featured 12 breaks of serve.

Bertens was a late replacement for world No.3 Naomi Osaka, who earlier in the day withdrew from the round-robin tournament due to a shoulder injury.

She appeared nervous under the bright lights dropping her first three service games against Barty, who has locked up the year-end number one ranking. Exploiting her opponent weakness, Barty pounced to run away with the first set.

Barty then endured her own service woes against an increasingly aggressive Bertens, who showcased soft touch at the net.

A slumping Barty had her serve broken five times through the second and third sets as Bertens stormed to her first victory over the Australian.

Bertens continued her strong form after making the finals in Zhuhai last week and the semi-finals of the China Open earlier in the month, when she lost a three-set thriller to Barty.

Bertens, who made the semi-finals of last year’s edition, has to win both her matches to qualify from Red Group.

Belinda Bencic needs to win the later match against Petra Kvitova to stay in the tournament.

Earlier, Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka pulled out of  WTA Finals second year in succession.

She vowed to be fit and firing for her year’s first Grand Slam Australian Open title defence after her season was abruptly cut short by injury.

The two-time Grand Slam winner, who was on a hot streak of 11 matches, withdrew from the season finale with a shoulder problem.

Third-ranked Osaka retired during last year’s edition of the lucrative year-ender with a hamstring injury.

The 23-year-old Osaka said she was unsure of the severity of the injury to her right shoulder, which she initially hurt during her triumph in Beijing earlier this month.

“I felt it immediately (in her first match on Sunday),” she told reporters.

“When I woke up the day after it was throbbing. It’s just a little bit painful. I don’t think it’s something that I would immediately need surgery for,” she added.

Osaka had started the $14 million round-robin tournament with a tough three-set victory over Petra Kvitova on Sunday to extend her winning streak, after titles in Beijing and Osaka.

She had been determined to make amends for a disappointing WTA Finals debut last year, when her winless campaign ended with a tearful retirement against Bertens.

Once she recovers from the injury, Osaka’s attention will turn towards the Australian Open in January, where she will defend a Grand Slam title for only the second occasion.

“I just want to train really hard,” Osaka said. “Last year during the off-season, I trained really hard for Australia. I felt like going into the Slam I was really fit. I just want to try to duplicate that.” Even though it ended prematurely, Osaka was pleased with her back end to the season after a tough stretch where she suffered a stunning first-round exit at Wimbledon followed by a lacklustre US Open title defence.

She rated 2019, which started on a high in Melbourne, as a more pleasing season than last year, when she made her Grand Slam breakthrough by beating Serena Williams in a tempestuous final at Flushing Meadows.

Agencies