Spain's Garbine Muguruza claimed her first WTA Finals title on Wednesday, defeating Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3 7-5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
After trading breaks early in the match, the sixth seed chipped away at Kontaveit's defences to convert on break point in the seventh game, as the Estonian put up four double faults throughout the first set, got roughly half of her first serves in and struggled with errors.
Playing in the biggest match of her career, Kontaveit regained her composure in the second set, converting on break point in the seventh game.
But she could not retain the momentum as the two-time Grand Slam winner refused to give in, firing off a mighty forehand winner in the 10th game to level the score and keep the set going.
Muguruza, who won nearly 70 per cent of her first-serve points across the entire match, again broke Kontaveit's serve to clinch the affair, crumpling to the court with her hands over her face before greeting her opponent for a hug at the net.
"I remember when (WTA CEO Steve Simon) and I were in the US Open and he told me that Guadalajara could be a possibility for the Finals and I was like 'Oh my God, I have to make it,' and look now, we're here," said Muguruza, before hoisting the Billie Jean King Trophy in front of an adoring crowd.
"For me it was a dream come true to play here."
It was Muguruza's fourth appearance at the season-ending finals and her first in the championship match. Her win gave Spain its first-ever WTA Finals title and will see her end the year as the world number three when the rankings are updated on Monday.
She won in Chicago last month and defeated Czech Barbora Krejcikova in March's Dubai final for her biggest title since picking up her second major title at Wimbledon in 2017.
Olympic champions Krejcikova-Siniakova win doubles title
Top-seeded Czech pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova defeated Hsie Su-wei of Chinese Taipei and Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-4 to win the WTA Finals doubles title without losing a single match.
The victory ends a successful year for the duo that won four other titles - Roland Garros, Madrid, Melbourne and the gold medal at Tokyo Olympics.
"I think it was a really good day for us," Krejcikova said, in the post-match press conference.
"I think we did everything the best way we could. I was really happy that our game style was working and that everything we said was working. I just think that we were a really good team out there today."
Siniakova, who will be the year-end WTA Doubles World No.1 ranking displacing Hsieh at the top when the next rankings are released, said, "This week was really good for us. I think we needed to stay aggressive, and we did it. We were really playing well. We keep the team spirit, so we were just trying, we fight. I'm just really happy that we have the trophy."
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