Serena Williams was thrashed 6-0 6-2 by Simona Halep at the WTA Finals
in Singapore on Wednesday, equalling the worst defeat of her career.
The 18-time grand slam champion saw her 16-match winning streak
brought to a shuddering halt by the Romanian in an incredible Red
Group clash.
Williams, who won just nine points in the opening set, had not
suffered such a heavy loss since she was beaten 6-1 6-1 by Joannette
Kruger in Oklahoma City in 1998. At that stage she was just 16.
Now 33, Williams had won her opening match in Singapore by beating Ana
Ivanovic in straight sets on Monday.
However, she was all at sea from the word go against Halep, reeling
off error after error.
Halep's level was much higher and she refused to let Williams off the
hook when she briefly threatened a fightback at the start of the
second set, the fourth seed saving several break points.
The Romanian, who now has two wins out of two in the group, closed out
the match in just 65 minutes.
She told the crowd in her on-court interview: "It was the biggest
match in my life.
"I can't explain how I feel now. I'm really happy."
She added: "I don't think it was her best day today, but I played
really well, I was very aggressive and took the ball early, moved up
the court very well, served very well. I've found my best tennis
again. It's crazy."
Wlliams later told a press conference that she was "embarrassed" by
her performance and that she had served like a 10-year-old.
"Embarrassing, I think, describes the way I played," she said. "Yeah,
very embarrassing.
"I've seen her play a lot. Like I said, she's never played like this
before. My serve was, at best, in the 10 and under division in
juniors."
Ivanovic beat Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard 6-1 6-3 in the
second match of the day, a result which ensured all four players
remain in with a chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Bouchard committed too many errors and converted just one of seven
break points as Ivanovic dominated proceedings.
With two defeats so far, Bouchard will need to beat Williams in
straight sets in her final match to stand any chance of making
progress to the knockout stages.
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