Joining Williams in qualifying for the singles event is three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters. Williams and Clijsters became the third and fourth singles players to qualify for the season-ending WTA Championships–Doha 2010, set to take place for the third year in a row at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, from October 26-31.
“I congratulate both Serena and Kim for qualifying for the WTA Championships and am glad that fans all over the world will have the opportunity to watch these two incredible players compete for the coveted title in Doha,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
Williams and Clijsters join Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva and the doubles teams of Gisela Dulko/Flavia Pennetta and Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik who qualified earlier. The world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams will compete for the coveted WTA Championships title and a share of the $4.5 million in prize money.
My prediction is that Serena’s next tournament will be the Australian Open 2011. The media will say that she is the favourite to win the title there, but instead, her record in the first rounds of the Majors will drop to 43:1.
I hope Kim doesn’t pull out of YEC cause of that “foot injury” she’s got going on. That would be a disappointing end to her not so marvelous year.