Serena and Kerber qualify for WTA Finals

A win over Karolina Pliskova in the Cincinnati final on Sunday would have seen the world number two replace Serena Williams at the top of the WTA rankings, but her Czech opponent proved far too good, triumphing 6-3 6-1.

Tournament director and vice-president for WTA Asia-Pacific, Melissa Pine, said: “2016 has been such an exciting year in women’s tennis and we are so thrilled to welcome Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber back to compete at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global”.

“Of course I’m disappointed, but still she played a great match and a great tournament and deserved the win”, Kerber told ESPN. “I’m so happy to have qualified for the WTA Finals Singapore for the fourth time”. Williams ascended to No. 1 – for the sixth time – in February 2013. She’ll move up to No. 11 in the rankings Monday.

“Angie’s had an unbelievable week and has done a great job all year”, Pliskova said in her acceptance speech.

Williams, who has a staggering 22 Grand Slam titles, will be making the 10th WTA Finals appearance of her career and it will be the 34-year-old American’s second trip to Singapore, having won the title in 2014.

Despite the loss Sunday, it’s been a career year for Kerber. She also won the silver medal in Rio.

“I’m really exhausted”, she said. It has been an exceptional year thus for the German and she caps it off by qualifying for Singapore for the second consecutive year. I really enjoyed the week.

“I will try to maybe get another chance, go in fresh to the U.S. Open, she said about the year’s last grand slam tournament, where she will again have a chance to dethrone Williams”.

Williams had withdrawn from Cincinnati due to a shoulder injury but will be hoping to regain her fitness in time for the US Open in New York City.

Injured or not, Williams has at least one thing going for her when the final major of the season begins August 29: She’ll still be the No. 1 player in the world.