SINGAPORE: The absence of Serena Williams may have robbed the season-ending WTA Finals of a blockbuster showdown with Angelique Kerber, but the great American's withdrawal only means more accolades for the world number one from Germany after her breakout year.
Regardless of how she performs in Singapore, Kerber will be presented with the year-end number one trophy after Williams, the only woman with any chance of overtaking her at the top of the rankings, pulled out of the elite eight-player tournament with a shoulder injury.
Kerber will become just the 12th woman to finish the year ranked number one since computer rankings were introduced in 1975, and no one would begrudge the 28-year-old's claim to the title after a career-best season in which she lifted the Australian and US Open trophies and finished runner-up at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.
"This is one of the things I have been dreaming of," Kerber said. "I have worked extremely hard to become the best player I can be and this is a reflection of that effort and the wonderful year I have had."
With the ranking trophy safely in the bag, Kerber now has her sights on picking up another major piece of silverware, the Billie Jean King Trophy for the winner of the prestigious end-of-season tournament.
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