Intro:

Maria Sharapova failed to advance out of the WTA Finals groups - and conceded the world number one ranking to Serena Williams - despite a three-set victory over Agnieszka Radwanska on Friday (24th October).

Script:

Maria Sharapova faced Agnieszka Radwanska in the WTA Finals on Friday, knowing that only a straight sets win would give her a chance of progressing to the semi-finals of the tournament and with it the opportunity to finish the year at the top of the world rankings.

The Russian - ranked second behind Serena Williams - was halfway to completing the straights set victory, lobbing the Pole to take the set to love at 7-5.

She continued to put pressure on the Radwanska serve & broke in the opening game of the second.

Already a double break up, Sharapova looked to be in charge at 15-30 up. Yet the World No 6 came back into it. Here holding serve and then taking the game into a tiebreak.

She took that when Sharapova fired a serve long.

Yet the World No 2, despite knowing she had missed the chance to reach the semis, remained professional to take the deciding set,

Even though Radwanska had lost two of her three group games, the Pole moves into the semis where she's likely to come up against Simona Halep.