World primary Iga Swiatek has claimed a semi-final spot on the WTA Finals with a straight-set win over France’s Caroline Garcia.
Poland’s Swiatek received 6-3 6-2 in Texas.
Nonetheless, Garcia can nonetheless attain the knockout stage with a win on Saturday in opposition to Daria Kasatkina, who put American Coco Gauff out of semi-final competition with a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 win.
“It is the final event of the season, so I’ve type of nothing to lose,” Swiatek stated.
“I haven’t got to fret what I will do subsequent. For certain, I am giving it 100%, bodily and mentally.”
Swiatek’s victory means she is the second participant, after Greek world quantity 5 Maria Sakkari, to ensure her progress from the round-robin stage of the season-ending occasion in Fort Price.
It’s the Pole’s forty seventh straight-set win this 12 months on the tour.
The 21-year-old US and French Open champion saved 5 of the six break factors she confronted and broke Garcia 4 instances to sit down high of the Tracy Austin Group, whereas Gauff’s defeat by Kasatkina left her backside of the group.
World quantity 4 Gauff, who, together with Kasatkina, is making her debut on the WTA Finals, was undone by 43 unforced errors in contrast with the Russian’s 14.
“It was powerful,” Kasatkina, eighth within the WTA rankings, stated.
“I used to be nervous at the start. With the rhythm of the match, nerves disappear a bit of bit and begin to be higher.
“So I am actually completely happy to be nonetheless alive.”
On Friday, Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula will attempt to be a part of Sakkari in qualifying from the Nancy Richey Group.
Jabeur and Sabalenka each have a 1-1 file whereas Pegula may nonetheless progress regardless of dropping each of her singles matches to date.
American Pegula performs Belarusian Sabalenka earlier than Tunisia’s Jabeur faces Sakkari.
The event, that includes the eight finest gamers of the 12 months, was moved from ordinary host metropolis Shenzhen for the second successive 12 months following the WTA’s suspension of all tournaments in China amid concern for Chinese language tennis participant Peng Shuai.
