WTA Finals start

The WTA Finals in Singapore have commenced with two matches in the Round Robin section of the tournament completed.

Red Group (as seeded)

Angie Kerber (1)

Naomi Osaka (3)

Sloane Stephens (5)

Kiki Bertens (8)

White Group (as seeded)

Caroline Wozniacki (2)

Petra Kvitová (4)

Elina Svitolina (6)

Karolina Pliskova (7)

Initial results (White Group)

• Petra Kvitová (4) v Elina Svitolina (6)

Svitolina entered the match having lost the previous seven against the Czech star, only claiming a single set in all those clashes.

It was Kvitová, however, who began shakily, forehand not working well, and she was broken in the opening game.

The stumble was rectified with some deep returning to upset the Svitolina balance and break back.

The seventh game saw a slew of untimely errors from Kvitová enabling the Ukrainian to crack serve a second time.  Serving at 3-5 to stay in the set, Petra found herself down 0-40, as Elina’s court coverage and range of shots troubled her opponent.  A double fault on the second set point delivered the lead to Svitolina 6-3

After surviving a Kvitová surge in set two - saving three break points in game three, and holding from 0-30 in game five - Svitolina broke in the sixth to go ahead 4-2.

Kvitová could not fight back and Elina Svitolina won 6-3 6-3, her second success against Petra.  The first was their inItial meeting in Cincinnati in 2014.

• Caroline Wozniacki (2) v Karolina Pliskova (7)

Wozniacki won in Beijing a fortnight back, and Pliskova was defeated in the Tianjin final a week later, so both had some form coming into this match.

Pliskova served well all match, and broke the Wozniacki serve four times, but it was the inability of the second seed to capitalise on any of the 10 break points that came her way during the match.

Pliskova won the opening set 6-2, which included a streak of five games.  The momentum continued in set two, with a break of the Dane serve in game one.

Wozniacki had chances to stay alive in the match when at 4-5 she had two break points, but they evaporated as the others had, and Pliskova won 6-2 6-4

Points after Day One

• White Group
• Svitolina 250
• Pliskova 250
• Wozniacki 125
• Kvitová 125