Muguruza, 28, became the first Spanish woman ever to win the
tour's year-end championship. She earned the 10th singles title
of her career, a list that includes the French Open in 2016 and
Wimbledon in 2017.
"I'm just very happy I proved to myself once again I can be the
best. I can be the 'maestra,' like how we say in Spanish,"
Muguruza said after the match. "That puts me in a very good
position for next year, a good ranking."
In fact, Wednesday's result will move Muguruza up to No. 3 in
the year-end rankings. It will be her highest year-end ranking
since finishing No. 2 in 2017.
"Oh, I'm still the same," Muguruza said. "I'm still the same.
That's what fuels me. This trophy, like right now here, these
are the best feelings."
Kontaveit will rise to a career-best No. 7 after reaching the
final. The Estonia native ends the season with a tour-best 39
hard-court match wins, with Muguruza ranking second in that
category with 35.
"I'd like to congratulate Garbine," said Kontaveit, who also
lost to Muguruza 6-4, 6-4 in the group stage of the event on
Sunday. "You've beaten me twice this week, that's just too
good."
Before this week, the only Spanish player to get to the WTA
Finals' title match was Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who lost the
1993 final to Germany's Steffi Graf.
Both sets in the final followed the same pattern, remaining
close until Muguruza broke serve in Kontaveit's last two service
games each time. Muguruza dropped only four points total while
winning the last four games of the match.4
Kontaveit double-faulted six times, while Muguruza never gave
away a point in that manner. Kontaveit also committed 39
unforced errors to Muguruza's 25, while Muguruza hit 16 winners
to Kontaveit's 15.
"The last couple of years, I didn't play the same way I played
before," Muguruza said. "But I didn't play a bad tennis, either.
... I always felt I had the tennis. I was just not putting the
battle together. I always believe that I can make the finals of
a Grand Slam, reach the (top) rankings. I'm like, I have the
tennis, I just have to show it. It's hard, of course."
--Field Level Media
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