WTA Finals: Angelique Kerber defeats Kiki Bertens in three sets

Angelique Kerber starts with a defeat in the WTA finals in Singapore. In the first group match she defeats Kiki Bertens 6:1, 3:6 and 4:6.

Kerber started very strong and got a break in the Dutch player’s first service game. But Bertens was still able to fend them off. It should remain the only game win in the first set.

Because the German acted very pressure-fully and played her opponent with marvellous tennis almost against the wall. She was also very nervous against herself, especially when it came to break points. Kerber was able to fend off all five break points from Bertens in the first round.

After only a little more than 30 minutes the top seed had bagged the first set with 6:1. This was due on the one hand to the strong performance of the Germans, but on the other hand also to Berten’s susceptibility to errors. The 26-year-old produced a total of 17 Unforced Errors in just seven games – far too much to keep up with the best eight players in the year-end tournament.

In the second set, we saw a similar picture: Kerber played solidly, Bertens made the mistakes. The Wimbledon winner took the lead 2-0 before her opponent won her first game after eight games lost in a row.

This seemed to inspire Bertens, with a grandiose return and a subsequent forehand winner she managed to equalize to 2:2. A short time later she even went in front for the first time in passage two.

Then the game flattened a bit, before Kerber had to fight for her service game again at 3:4. With a double mistake she finally had to accept the break. Then Bertens could win the set 6:3 thanks to some unnecessary mistakes of the Germans.

So as in the other match of the red group (Stephens won against Osaka) a third set had to bring the decision. And many a fan Kerbers must have wondered how suddenly it had come to this.

Who certainly didn’t think about it was Kiki Bertens. At the beginning of the third section, the Dutch player immediately continued the strong performance from the second half of passage two and broke Kerbers serve with a sensational backhand return to the 1-0 lead.

But Kerber once again proved her fighting qualities and after a 40:15 for Bertens still managed the immediate rebreak. But the roller coaster ride should not be finished yet, after three game points the world ranking second had to give up her serve again.

Again, the triple Grand Slam winner gave the instant answer and equalized to 2:2. Both players had far more problems with their own service than they would have liked. This was also evident with Kerber: Once again she had to accept a break to 2:3 from her point of view.

Fortunately for the Germans, her Dutch opponent also struggled on her own serve. So Kerber was able to cheer over another break to 3:3. However, Bertens struck back again according to the extremely bizarre script and took the lead 4:3.

When in the next game at 0:40 all spectators reckoned with a new break, the match got the decisive turn. Bertens fended off all three break points and could increase to 5:3 thanks to an ace. It was the first service game won in the third set. And that in the eighth game!

Not enough of the curiosities, Kerber, against all odds, managed to get her serve through to 4:5 and forced Bertens to leave. She mastered this with flying colours and after exactly two hours she won the match. Kerber has his back to the wall in the second group match against Naomi Osaka.