Ashleigh Barty defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2 while Belinda Bencic is through after Kiki Bertens retired from their match due to illness
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic sealed a semi-final against Elena Svitolina after her opponent, Kiki Bertens, became the latest player forced out of the WTA Finals by injury.
With the first set heading for a tie-break, an emotional Bertens took an unexpected coaching break, telling her coach she was finding it difficult to bend down for shots.
Ashleigh Barty bounced back from her surprise defeat to Kiki Bertens, comfortably beating Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2 to seal top spot in the Red Group and a semi-final place at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen.
After an even start, Barty broke in the fifth game of the first set with a forehand winner, and held in the next as Kvitova missed three break-point opportunities. With humid, slippery conditions affecting both players, Barty defended another break point in the eighth game before serving out the set.
Written by Niall McVeigh
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2019/oct/31/tennis-wta-finals-ashleigh-barty-petra-kvitova-live under the title “WTA Finals: Barty and Bencic through as tearful Bertens is forced to retire”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
