RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) -Defending WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek was eliminated from the season-ending championship on Thursday after Barbora Krejcikova's 7-5 6-4 win over Coco Gauff meant the Polish world number two failed to advance to the last four.

Going into the final day of round-robin matches, Sabalenka, Zheng, and Gauff had already qualified for the semifinals. The final spot was between Swiatek and Krejcikova, with the

After beating Krejcikova in her opener at the WTA Finals, the Pole delivered a lackluster performance against the 2023 US Open and ended up picking a 3-6 4-6 defeat. Afterward, she was the first to acknowledge her mistake and vowed to do better in her next match.

Gauff and Sabalenka have faced each other eight times with a 4-4 head-to-head record. Sabalenka won their match at the Wuhan Open last month, and the pair split the other two recent meetings at Grand Slam finals: the 2023 US Open which Gauff won and the 2024 Australian Open which Sabalenka won.

American star Coco Gauff defeated world No. 2 Iga Swiatek 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday, sealing her spot in the semifinals of the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Krejcikova beat Gauff to seal a semifinal ticket at the WTA Finals and prevent Swiatek from making the knockout stage.

Coco Gauff beat defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-3 6-4 at the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals and ensure Aryna Sabalenka would finish the year as world number one. It was Gauff's second win over Swiatek in 13 meetings.

Aryna Sabalenka will end the year as world No. 1 for the first time, 12 months on from surrendering the honor in the final stages of the season. Iga Swiatek’s 3-6, 4-6 defeat to Coco Gauff at the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh,