Player of the week: Samantha Stosur

Already recognised as a great doubles player, with 22 doubles titles and finishing #1 in 2006 doubles ranking, Samantha Stosur is showing this season that she is also a player to take into account in singles. But, despite reaching the semifinals in the last French Open and reaching #13 in the rankings, she still missed a singles title and had a 0-5 record in finals. But her luck changed in Osaka, where she has captured her 1st singles title.


Stosur started the tournament in an impressive way and consecutively defeated Panova, Morigami and Craybas in straight sets and dropping no more than 6 games on each match. But in the semifinal she had a much greater challenge, as she was facing 1st seed and WTA #6 Caroline Wozniacki. After sweeping Wozniacki in the 1st, the young Danish came back to win the 2nd, but the Stosur held her nerve and closed it out. In the final Stosur faced Francesca Schiavone, another player with a horrible record in finals (1-9), so one of them was meant to break the bad streak, and it was Stosur who did it.


With this title, Stosur not only equals her best singles ranking at #13, but also qualifies for the Tournament of Champions in Bali, where she will be one of the favourites for the title.