With Dominika Cibulkova falling in Moscow, Ekaterina Makarova is officially the second alternate at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore. MOSCOW, Russia - Dominika Cibulkova was ousted at the Kremlin Cup on Thursday, confirming Ekaterina Makarova as the second alternate at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore. It all came down to one match - if Cibulkova won she would be second alternate, if she lost Makarova would get it. Early on it looked like the No.1-seeded Cibulkova would cruise - after taking the first set, 6-4, she broke in the first game of the second set and even had two points for a 2-0 lead. But it just wasnt to be. Her opponent, Vitalia Diatchenko, won 10 of the next 11 games to steal the second set, 6-2, and build a 4-0 lead in the third. The two players then kept breaking each others serve until the Russian qualifier had the victory after an hour and 59 minutes, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Diatchenkos win over the World No.14 was the first Top 50 win of her career. And by virtue of the result, Makarova rounds out the singles field at the WTA Finals, with Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Eugenie Bouchard, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic the elite eight, and Angelique Kerber and Makarova the alternates. Makarova, who also lost her opening match at the Kremlin Cup this week, is in for a busy few weeks now. Not only is she a singles alternate at the WTA Finals, but shes also one of the eight teams in the doubles event alongside fellow Russian Elena Vesnina, and by virtue of winning the Pattaya City title earlier in the year, shes also going to be one of the eight players heading to the other season-ending championships, the Garanti Koza WTA Tournament Of Champions in Sofia, in two weeks.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 22:23:41 +0000