Kvitova as "Oldie" at the WTA Finals: The generational change has long been completed
While Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer remain indestructible at the top, the generational change on the WTA Tour has long been completed.
by SID
last edit: Oct 27, 2019, 08:08 am
Before the final tournament of the eight season-best players in the Chinese Shenzhen, the two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova noticed that she is the oldest in the field at the age of 29 years. "That feels weird," said the Czech.
US superstar Serena Williams and three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber (Kiel) had missed the qualification and are already on vacation. The stage belongs to the young stars, who have already determined the events this year. Naomi Osaka (22 / Japan), Ashleigh Barty (23 / Australia) and Bianca Andreescu (19 / Canada) each won a major and are among the favorites for the final title of the season.
The future belongs to them together with Belinda Bencic (22 / Switzerland), which is clear to Kvitova as well. "The new faces are coming in. It's normal for there to be a generational change," she said. Like Wimbledon's winner Simona Halep (Romania), defending champion Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) and her Czech compatriot Karolina Pliskova, Kvitova hopes to fend off the onslaught of youth - and to clear one of the biggest jackpots in women's tennis.
After moving from Singapore to Shenzhen, the prize money has doubled to $ 14 million. The winner waving more than two million of them. Even the doubles players, including Anna-Lena Grönefeld from Nordhorn, benefit. Together with her Dutch partner Demi Schuurs, the long-time Fed Cup player earns more than $ 500,000.
Osaka and Kvitova kick off on Sunday (9:30 am CET), re-launching the final of the Australian Open at the start of the season. Barty and Bencic will meet in the second match of the Red Group. Grönefeld / Schuurs will not play against top seed Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) and Elise Mertens (Belgium) until Monday.