Pliskova uses knowledge of Singapore to open WTA Finals with a defeat of Venus Williams

World No 3 Karolina Pliskova said her experience playing on the Singapore Indoor Stadium’s slower court was the catalyst for a straight sets victory over Venus Williams yesterday.

Pliskova, playing in her second consecutive WTA Finals, overwhelmed a sluggish Williams from the get-go to record a 6-2, 6-2 victory in a one-sided match lasting just one hour and 13 minutes. Williams was making her debut in Singapore after reaching the WTA Finals for the first time since 2009, when it was played in Doha.

Even though she did not make it out of the group stage a year ago, the Czech said the experience helped enormously.

“I think I had quite an advantage from that she [Williams] was not playing for the past few years in WTA Finals,” Pliskova said after the match. “I don’t know how she felt, but I think I was trying to take that advantage that I was here last year.”

Opening the tournament, which fields the top eight players, Pliskova – playing her first match under the guidance of coach Rennae Stubbs – showcased her heavy artillery.

It was a much-needed confidence boost for the 25-yearold Czech, who slipped in the rankings after being crowned world No 1 in July.

The match was an anti-climax for Williams and an early blow to the 37-year-old American’s bid to be crowned the world’s No 1 for the first time in 15 years.

Williams said she was confident of rebounding from the defeat. “Yeah, I have been in this position before,” she said. “So I will be back on Tuesday. I felt like I returned well today. I just didn’t execute as well during the point.”

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza served warning of her intention to win both the WTA Finals and the year-end world No 1 crown when she crushed Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets yesterday.

The freshly-crowned WTA player of the year was far too solid for an erratic Ostapenko, winning 6-3, 6-4 in 85 minutes to open her campaign in Singapore. Muguruza, who was No 1 for four weeks until she was replaced by Simona Halep this month, is one of seven players who can finish the year on top of the rankings if they lift the season-ending trophy.

In their opener of the White Group round robin, the power-hitters traded blows on the baseline with five breaks of serve highlighting a frenetic first set. But Muguruza benefited from the inconsistency of the French Open winner.