Barty, who counts Wimbledon among the many 5 titles she captured this season, stated final month that she would finish her 2021 season early resulting from COVID-19 journey and quarantine restrictions in Australia and begin making ready for her residence Grand Slam in Melbourne in January.

Her absence means world quantity 4 Karolina Pliskova, who’s competing in her fifth consecutive WTA Finals, and Spanish No. 5 Garbine Muguruza, again for the primary time since 2017, are the one two gamers with earlier expertise within the occasion.

The remainder of the sphere for the Nov. 10-17 WTA Finals will include Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (No. 2), Czech Barbora Krejcikova (No. 3), Greece’s Maria Sakkari (No. 6), Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit (No. 8), Poland’s Iga Swiatek (No. 9) and Spain’s Paula Badosa (No. 10).

Teams are locked

Introducing the @WTAFinals singles teams!#AKRONWTAFinals pic.twitter.com/nwZ2TMr6F3

— wta (@WTA) November 9, 2021

Sabalenka will probably be hoping to place the ending touches on what has been a breakthrough season that included wins in each Abu Dhabi and Madrid together with semi-final appearances at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Pliskova, extensively thought of the most effective energetic gamers with out a Grand Slam title, had a gradual begin to the season however reached the Wimbledon remaining earlier than stringing collectively a formidable run on the North American hardcourts.

The previous world primary completed runner-up in Montreal, made a run to the semis in Cincinnati after which reached the U.S. Open quarter-finals to safe her fifth consecutive spot within the WTA Finals, the longest energetic qualifying streak on tour.

Muguruza, who received two titles from 4 finals appearances this season, loved her finest WTA Finals exhibiting in her 2015 debut when she misplaced within the semi-finals to eventual champion Agnieska Radwanska.

Kontaveit, the ultimate singles participant to safe her place in Guadalajara, will convey sky-high confidence into the occasion given a outstanding end-of-season run throughout which she got here out of nowhere to win 26 of 28 matches and gather 4 titles.

The eight gamers will probably be break up into two teams for round-robin play and the highest two from every advance to the semi-finals.