Svitolina, Pliskova complete WTA Finals field

Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova have secured the seventh and eighth spots at the WTA Finals, meaning the field in Singapore is complete.

The eight-player tournament was confirmed when Kiki Bertens – in ninth place in the Race to Singapore – lost her second-round match to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Bertens needed to reach at least the semifinals in Moscow, but lost 6-3 4-6 6-3 to the Belarusian on Wednesday.

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Pliskova also bowed out of the tournament on the same day, losing 6-1 6-2 to qualifier Vera Zvonareva, a former world No.2. Elina Svitolina wasn’t even playing this week.

But they have done enough to secure their spots at the season-ending championships, where the prize money totals US$7 million.

Pliskova qualifies for the third straight year; this season she won titles in Stuttgart and Tokyo as well as reaching quarterfinals at the Australian and US Opens.

“I have such great memories from playing in Singapore in 2016 and 2017, and I can’t wait to close out the year competing against the other elite players of 2018,” Pliskova said.

Svitolina maintained her 2017 year-end ranking of No.6 after winning WTA titles in Brisbane, Dubai and Rome.

“Making it to Singapore is my goal every year so I’m happy to return and be part of the top eight players of the season,” Svitolina said.

Also featuring will be defending champion and Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki, the year’s three other major champions Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka, and Petra Kvitova and Sloane Stephens.

Halep has made the trip to Singapore, but enters the tournament under a cloud after withdrawing from retiring from Beijing and withdrawing from Moscow due to a back injury.

Stephens also played in Moscow, but fell 6-3 6-2 to qualifier Ons Jabeur on Wednesday.