Tough draw set for WTA Finals

Simona Halep’s first match after guaranteeing her ascension to world No.1 was a loss to in-form Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in the China Open final earlier this month.

Now the 26-year-old Romanian is set to face Garcia again in her first official match as the world No.1.

It is just one of many intriguing storylines set for the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Halep headlines the Red group, which also features world No.4 Elina Svitolina, world No.6 Caroline Wozniacki and the eighth-seeded Garcia.

Red group: Head-to-head records

Interestingly, Wozniacki boasts winning records over both Halep and Garcia yet has never beaten Svitolina in three attempts.

Svitolina, who became the first Ukrainian woman to reach the top 10 this season, has tied records against both Halep and Garcia.

READ MORE: Stage set for intriguing battle

The draw for the round-robin competition pitted the four biggest hitters into a stacked White group, led by world No.2 Garbine Muguruza. It also features world No.3 Karolina Pliskova, world No.5 Venus Williams and French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

“I feel like we’re playing a semifinals or a final,” Muguruza said of her strong group. “It’s very exciting. You have to play your very best to win. I have some big hitters in my group.”

Muguruza ended a six-match losing streak against Pliskova in August. The Spaniard also has a losing record against Williams, but did beat her in the Wimbledon final earlier this year.

White group: Head-to-head records

The season-ending championships begin on Sunday, opening with Pliskova playing Williams, followed by Muguruza against Ostapenko.

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