One spot left open for WTA Finals as Swiatek, Muguruza and Badosa qualify

Ons Jabeur and Anett Kontaveit will battle it out for the eighth and final place in Guadalajara

October 25, 2021

One qualifying spot remains for the season-ending WTA Finals, with Ons Jabeur and Anett Kontaveit seemingly headed for a battle to clinch the eighth and final place in the field.

The WTA confirmed Monday that Iga Swiatek, Garbine Muguruza and Paula Badosa have all officially qualified for the Finals, which this year will be played in Guadalajara, Mexico, from Nov 10-17.

The trio join Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova and Maria Sakkari in the elite event. Swiatek and Indian Wells champion Badosa will be appearing in the WTA Finals for the first time while two-time Grand Slam winner Muguruza will be making her fourth appearance. With world No 1 Ash Barty choosing not to play, one spot remains.

Kontaveit thrust herself into contention at the weekend when she won the Kremlin Cup for her third title in the last couple of months. The Estonian sits 10th in the calendar-year Race (effectively ninth after Barty’s withdrawal), one place behind Jabeur.

🚨 Race Update 🚨

Kontaveit and Jabeur are now in a down to the wire battle to qualify for the @WTAFinals in Guadalajara 🏁

Both players are in action next week, Kontaveit in the Transylvania Open and Jabeur in the Courmayeur Ladies Open. pic.twitter.com/wlEFxYBcYd
— wta (@WTA) October 24, 2021

But the advantage may be with the Estonian. Jabeur has pulled out of this week’s event in Courmayeur, while Kontaveit, coached by Dmitry Tursunov, is the No 2 seed at the Transylvania Open in Romania.

I am sad to announce that I won't be able to play in Courmayeur Ladies Open due to my elbow injury. It's time to recover and to get ready for the next challenges. Thank you for the support 🙏 pic.twitter.com/UYhQRD7bjT
— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) October 24, 2021