The WTA Finals will begin to set up the Semi Finals at this tournament over the next two days as the Group matches come to a conclusion.
First up is the White Group where all four players are still able to make it through to the Semi Final after four of the six Group matches have been completed.
For some there is no room for error- Petra Kvitova needs to win in straight sets and hope Elina Svitolina does the same if the Czech player wants to make it through to the Semi Final. Any other result will keep her compatriot alive, but Karolina Pliskova will feel destiny is her own hands and a first win over Kvitova will be enough to move her through to the Semi Final regardless of what happens in the final match in the Group.
You would assume Elina Svitolina has made it through to the Semi Final, but two wins have not been enough to confirm her place in the Semi Final. She will know all the permutations by the time she takes to the court to play Caroline Wozniacki, but right now Svitolina will know one more set will be enough unless Petra Kvitova wins the early match when her place in the Semi Final will be secured.
Karolina Pliskova - 1.5 games v Petra Kvitova: There is always some doubt around a player when they have not been able to beat another, especially when it comes to playing someone from the same country. That is certainly an issue for Karolina Pliskova on Thursday when she faces Petra Kvitova in the final Group match for both players.
In all honesty Pliskova also has to get over the disappointment of losing a tight three set match against Elina Svitolina, a match that she should have arguably won. That would have been enough to secure a Semi Final spot in Singapore and now she has to face a dangerous opponent who may not have much to lose.
Petra Kvitova suffered a tough loss a couple of days ago too when she was beaten by Caroline Wozniacki in three sets. That defeat has put her on the brink of exiting the tournament and Kvitova knows she can't even afford to lose one set if she is going to have a chance to play in the Semi Final on Saturday.
She hasn't really been playing well enough to think Kvitova is capable of doing that, but having won all three previous matches against Pliskova means she has the mental edge in this match. This is also a different sort of match for both players as they face another big hitter rather than a player who may be using their superior movement to get the better of them around the court.
It does mean first strike tennis is all important and I am giving the edge to Pliskova with the way she has been serving. Pliskova has also been winning a lot more tennis matches than Kvitova over the last six weeks since the US Open was completed and that may be enough for Pliskova to finally get in a position to better her compatriot.
The favourites have really struggled at the WTA Finals so far with their 1-7 record against the spread and just 2-6 record straight up. That may have a lot to do with how little separation can be made from the top players on the Tour at the moment but Pliskova can earn a win for the favourites by edging out Kvitova in three sets.
Caroline Wozniacki - 1.5 games v Elina Svitolina: Things will be much clearer for both of these players when they take to the court for the second of the Group matches to be played in the White Group on Thursday. If Petra Kvitova has beaten Karolina Pliskova it will be good enough for Elina Svitolina to have earned a Semi Final spot, but otherwise she is going to need at least one set from this match.
For Caroline Wozniacki it is clear that she needs to win this match but she will know that he has to win the match in straight sets if Karolina Pliskova has won the first Singles match going onto the court. A Kvitova win would mean Wozniacki just needs to win this match and so it could be a tense affair regardless.
This is the second season in a row that Wozniacki and Svitolina are meeting in the Group Stage of the WTA Finals, although last year it was the first match for the two players. On that occasion Wozniacki lost just two games in her win over Svitolina which also snapped a career record of 0-3 against the Ukrainian.
You would think that Wozniacki is very happy in the conditions and she has shown her desire to be here and defend the title she won last season in her win over Kvitova a couple of days ago. She will need to bring some of her best tennis to the court to beat Svitolina whose own confidence has to be in a good place after winning both of her previous matches, even if she was a little fortunate to be in the position to win the match against Pliskova.
Out of the two players it is Wozniacki who has shown more consistent form since the end of the US Open and she will be confident having beaten Svitolina here last year. There is a chance that Svitolina just relaxes having invested so much to win her first two matches in the tournament and I also think Wozniacki can get enough joy from the return of serve to be in a position to win this match.
I do worry that Wozniacki perhaps loses her own focus if Pliskova wins and she drops a set in this match. That would mean she is going out of the tournament whether she wins or loses this match and the desire may come off her game and reduce the intensity of her performance.
Personally I think Wozniacki will look to end her season on a high with a win no matter what it means for her future in the tournament and I will back her to cover as the favourite for the second time in Singapore.
MY PICKS: Karolina Pliskova - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Caroline Wozniacki - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
WTA Finals Update: 9-6, + 6.22 Units (30 Units Staked, + 20.73% Yield)
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