WTA Finals: Sloane Stephens v Karolina Pliskova – live!
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Returning to today’s contest, Stephens holds a slim 2-1 advantage over Pliskova in their head-to-head, however the Czech won their most recent encounter 6-2 6-3 on clay at the Madrid Masters.
Stephens is unbeaten in Singapore but Pliskova holds the most match wins on the WTA Tour this year with 49. She has a 3-2 record in semi-finals this year, compared with the American’s unblemished 3-0.
When I said, “a bit of an epic” I may have been playing it down slightly because that match was timed at two hours and 38 minutes … will have to see how that plays out for Svitolina tomorrow. She has been speaking before heading off for an ice bath…
It was such a tough battle today and I’m very happy I could win in the end. It means a lot to me.
I think physically, in the end, it was just about running and chasing every ball down. I think the level was very tough and we were both playing very good tennis. I’m very pleased that I could stay in the match and close it.
(On Stephens and Bertens) It’s tough they’re both playng great tennis and deserve to be here and it’s going to be an interesting match and be ready for tomorrow.
Elina Svitolina celebrates after defeating Kiki Bertens. Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images
Here we are, then … the business end of the tournament, where the leading seeds may have departed (or not even made it) but undoubtedly the four best players in Singapore made it through to the semi-finals. Elina Svitolina beat Kiki Bertens 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in a bit of an epic a few moments ago, and the Ukrainian will take on either Sloane Stephens or Karolina Pliskova to ensure we’ll have a new champion by tomorrow.
Stephens is unbeaten having won all three of her group matches, including yesterday’s straight sets triumph over her bunny, Angelique Kerber, while Pliskova mixed impressive two-set victories over defending champ Caroline Wozniacki and fellow Czech Petra Kvitova with a three-set loss to Svitolina.
In truth, Stephens wasn’t really tested against Kerber and got through the match playing in second or third gear. Pliskova should prove a taller order in more ways than one as whereas Kerber’s first serve was largely awful, rarely putting significant pressure on Stephens while simultaneously stacking it all on herself, the 6ft 1 Czech is among the best servers on Tour. Stephens’ return game, however, can be legendary which makes for a nice clash for styles. Which we all like.
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