By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 27, 2016
Madison Keys carried a simple mission statement along with her Wilson racquet bag as she stepped on court in Singapore today.
The sixth-seeded Keys needed to win one set to secure a semifinal spot in the WTA Finals.
World No. 1 Angelique Kerber spent the next hour breaking Keys' serve and shattering her semifinal dream.
Watch: Top 5 Women's Matches of 2016
Moving fluidly and striking with conviction, Kerber converted six of seven break points sweeping Keys, 6-3, 6-3, to complete round-robin play with a 3-0 record atop the Red Group.
"It's always tough to play against Madison," Kerber told Andrew Krasny afterward. "She played very well the last few months. I was really trying to be focused playing my game and just going for it when I had the chance."
Kerber and Dominika Cibulkova advanced to the final four from the Red Group, joining Svetlana Kuznetsova, who wrapped up her semifinal spot yesterday.
Winless in her two prior round-robin matches, a fired-up Cibulkova won 12 straight points to open her 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over a hobbled Simona Halep, who was hampered by a left knee injury.
Two days after absorbing a 6-1, 6-4 thrashing at the hands of Keys, Cibulkova is still standing while the youngest player in the field is headed home.
The winner of tomorrow's White Group match between second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova will lock up the final semifinal spot. Radwanska is 6-0 lifetime against Pliskova, winning all 12 sets they've played.
Cibulkova's straight-sets win sent Kerber into the semifinals before she even stepped on court against Keys and gave the 21-year-old American a clear path to the Singapore semifinals. Then she ran into a road block.
The Keys serve is one of the best weapons in the game, but Kerber defused that shot and deconstructed the powerful American who won just four of 20 second-serve points. Keys committed 31 errors compared to 12 for the Australian Open champion.
Quick off the mark, Kerber ran down a drop shot with an angled reply helping her break for the second straight time for 3-2.
Trying to avoid Keys' disruptive forehand return, Kerber spit up her fourth double fault gifting the fourth consecutive break for 3-all.
A tremendous running rally won by Kerber ended with Keys on her knees in a sign of frustration and fatigue. On triple break point, Kerber connected on a forehand return winner breaking at love for 4-3.
Working through a deuce game, Kerber stopped the streak of five straight breaks jamming a body serve for 5-3.
The quickness, comprehensive court coverage and knack for the running counter-strike have made Kerber a nightmare opponent for Keys, who played even closer to the lines trying to elude the German. Facing triple set point, Keys moved in for a mid-court forehand but flagged her swing volley into the top of the tape.
That final miscue ended a 28-minute set in which Keys served 68 percent, but won just one of eight second-serve points and lost four of her five service games.
Coach Thomas Hogstedt came out urging Keys to move forward and attack with her forehand. Keys absorbed and applied the advice breaking to open the second set then quickly backing up the break.
Undeterred, Kerber scored her second love break of the match to level at 2-all.
The US Open champion's skill at shrinking the court reduced a frustrated Keys to squeezing shots in low percentage spots. Slapping a flat forehand into net, Keys dropped serve again to fall into a 2-4 second-set hole.
"I think I was moving very well. I was bringing a lot of balls back," said Kerber, who is 6-1 vs. Keys. "I think my rhythm was very good as well tonight. I think I played a good match and I think it was good from both of us."
An energized Kerber cranked an ace for her fifth straight game extending her lead to 5-2. Keys stopped the slide holding at 30, but could not contain Kerber.
The top seed closed in emphatic style stamping a love hold to wrap up a 61-minute win and move closer to her eighth final of the season.