Wozniacki qualifies for WTA Finals final

Caroline Wozniacki has won through to the final match of the WTA Finals in Singapore after toughing out a 7-6 (11-9) 6-3 win over Karolina Pliskova.

She goes into Sunday’s championship match in form after being the first player at the event to qualify for the semis from the round-robin matches.

Matches went on serve early in the first set on Saturday, with both players starting solidly.

It was Pliskova who took first advantage, breaking Wozniacki’s serve late in the set but her opponent broke right back.

Pliskova served for the set three times while leading 5-4 but made several unforced errors, causing her to cry out in frustration.

Wozniacki ended up winning the marathon game, which lasted 10 minutes and 46 seconds.

Wozniacki had six set points and Pliskova five in the first set before it went to a gripping tiebreak, and the Dane outlasted her opponent to win it 11-9 in one hour and 23 minutes.

Losing such a close and intensely competitive set seemed to affect Pliskova early in the second but some confidence returned after she broke Wozniacki’s serve to tie it at 3-3.

But then Wozniacki broke and was able to serve for the set, winning the game and booking her passage through to the final.

Wozniacki’s opponent in the final will be decided later on Saturday when Venus Williams plays Caroline Garcia to open the night session.

Earlier, Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova ended the career of tennis Hall of Famer Martina Hingis by defeating her and partner Yung-Jan Chan 6-4 7-6 (7-5) in the first doubles semi-final.

They will play the winner of the evening match between Russian pair Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina and Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands and Swede Johanna Larsson.