2nd seeded Garbine Muguruza beats Lucie Safarova in straight sets in WTA Finals debut

SINGAPORE (AP)_ Second-seeded Garbine Muguruza had a successful debut at the WTA Finals, beating Lucie Safarova 6-3, 7-6 (4) Monday.

The 22-year-old Muguruza is the first Spaniard to play in the WTA Finals since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 2001.

“To go here, and play and win for the first time, it’s great,” Muguruza said. “So I feel now more calm, more in the tournament.”

Muguruza lost to Safarova in the French Open quarterfinals, the only other time they have met.

“I remember the last match I played against her,” Muguruza said. “It was tough for me because I lost. I really wanted to go out on the court and try to win today.”

Muguruza reached her first Grand Slam final this year at Wimbledon, losing to Serena Williams in straight sets. She was the first Spanish woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Conchita Martinez lost the French Open final in 2000, and the first to do so at Wimbledon since Sanchez-Vicario in 1995 and 1996.

Fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova and sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber were playing in the second singles match Monday.