• WTA Championships

Wozniacki digs in to beat Radwanska

Caroline Wozniacki rolls over a forehand © PA Photos

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Caroline Wozniacki came through a stiff examination to kick off her WTA Championships campaign with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 win over Agnieszka Radwanska.

The world No. 1 needs to show up well to fend off Maria Sharapova to finish as the year-end No. 1. For spells of the match she looked set to kick off the Red Group with a defeat, but found form as her opponent faltered.

Radwanska made a nervous start on the big stage in Istanbul, but she shook off the shackles to secure an early break. Wozniacki broke back and had set points at 5-4, but failed to convert and Radwanska rallied to take the opening set.

The Pole broke at the start of the second set but missed a simple smash to hand Wozniacki the break back.

Radwanska broke back immediately, prompting Wozniacki's father to appear on court for a pep talk. Whatever he said worked the oracle as she flew through four games on the spin, with Radwanska calling for the trainer to see to a shoulder problem at 5-2 down.

Wozniacki secured the set and raced ahead in the third. The smiles in the Dane's camp turned to scowls as Radwanska swung freely to break back to trail 3-4 and then hold.

Wozniacki held to put herself one game away from victory and put Radwanska under pressure and a punishing rally set up match point. Radwanska held firm against the threat but Wozniacki kept pounding away from the baseline and secured the win when her opponent threw a forehand into the net.

Also in the Red Group, Petra Kvitova opened her campaign with a demolition of Vera Zvonareva.

Wimbledon champion Kvitova has struggled for form since her win at SW19, but she has shown flashes of quality in recent weeks and took her level forward in disposing of Zvonarava 6-2 6-4.

The match got off to a scratchy start, with the opening five games going against serve. Kvitova looked the more polished from the back of the court, finding greater power and accuracy and she never looked back once holding to take a 4-2 lead in the first set.

The Czech ran through five games on the spin to take the opening set and race into a 2-0 lead in the second. Zvonareva attempted to gain a foothold by holding in the third game, but she was up against an opponent in scintillating form.

Winners flew off both wings and a second break put Kvitova in total command. Zvonareva dug in to claim a break back and then held to put some pressure on the pre-tournament favourite. She broke again for 4-4 but just when it seemed she was on the brink of a comeback, she surrendered her serve in meek fashion and Kvitova served out for victory.

US Open champion Sam Stosur opened her campaign in the Red Group in style, crushing Maria Sharapova 6-1 7-5.

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