Istanbul: Caroline Wozniacki will end the year ranked world No 1 although her hopes of applying icing to the cake by winning the WTA Championships suffered a blow when she lost to Russia's Vera Zvonareva in her second round-robin match.
The 21-year-old Dane was locked in combat with Zvonareva when news filtered through that Russian Maria Sharapova had withdrawn from the tournament with an ankle injury following a 7-6, 6-4 defeat by China's Li Na.
World number two Sharapova began the day as the only player still able to topple Wozniacki from the summit, but she was clearly not herself in an error-strewn defeat before announcing that her season was over.
It meant Wozniacki's 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 defeat was immaterial as far as the rankings were concerned. Wozniacki, who has been number one since February and has six titles in 2011, was not going to let defeat spoil her day.
Very special
"You know, it's amazing for me to finish the year as number one once more," she told reporters after being congratulated by WTA Tour chief Stacey Allaster in a presentation.
"I mean, only very few players have finished a year as number one and to do it two years in a row is very special. I'm only in the beginning of my career and to have achieved so much already, it's a dream come true.
"Of course, the match I would like to have won. Right now I'm just so happy that I've been playing most consistently and the best tennis the whole year."
Left ankle sprain
Former world number one Sharapova, still bothered by the left ankle sprain she suffered in Tokyo recently, was quick to congratulate Wozniacki.
"It's an incredible achievement to stay in that position for so many weeks," the Russian told reporters.
Sharapova's place in the White Group will now be taken by French alternate Marion Bartoli.
In the other White Group match, Victoria Azarenka made a winning start with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of US Open champion Samantha Stosur, who had beaten Sharapova on Tuesday.
Sharapova, playing at the championships for the first time since 2007, almost missed the event due to the ankle injury and her lack of recent match practice was evident again as she let tournament debutant Li off the hook.
