So late was the hour in Kuznetsova’s Singapore bid that the Russian wasn’t even in the country when the draw was made or the iconic photo was taken. Incumbent No. 8 Johanna Konta enjoyed the festivities with a mix of excitement and dread as Kuznetsova, a former world No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam champion, slid further and further into contention with every win at home in Moscow.
Kuznetsova had began the season with a title in Sydney and upset Serena Williams en route to the Miami Open final, but mediocre Grand Slam results left her just behind Konta, who had burst onto the scene with a maiden major semifinal at the Australian Open.
And yet, the wily veteran was able to take a wild card into the Kremlin Cup and edged into the final after back-to-back three-setters against Timea Babos and Elina Svitolina. As the opening gala unfolded in Singapore, Kuznetsova was blitzing Daria Saville (née Gavrilova), 6-1, 6-2 to win her 17th career title and assure herself a Top 8 finish in the WTA Race.
Konta would ironically endure the same scenario a year later, when Caroline Garcia surged up after winning both Wuhan and Beijing, and abandoned hope of the WTA Finals entirely in 2019, shutting down her season despite strong showings at the major tournaments.
But back to Kuznetsova: A long flight from Moscow to Singapore ensued, but the then-31-year-old was as fresh as ever, even opening her pre-tournament press conference with a laugh.
“I just came to see you guys,” she said as she recalled the 12-odd hours spent in the air. “Was hoping we have a good chat, so…”