Kiki Bertens, who replaced an injured Naomi Osaka, stunned World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty with a comeback three-set victory to shake-up the season-ending WTA Finals here on Tuesday.
The World No. 10 looked in deep trouble at a set and break down, but turned the tide with ruthless returns and aggressive play at the net to overwhelm a deflated Barty, who could have sealed a spot in the semifinals with victory.
Bertens won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and nine minutes in a see-saw match featuring 12 breaks of serve.
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Bertens appeared nervous under the bright lights dropping her first three service games and Barty, who has locked up the year-end No. 1 ranking, pounced to run away with the first set.
Barty then endured her own service woes against an increasingly aggressive Bertens, who showcased soft touch at the net. A slumping Barty had her serve broken five times through the second and third sets as Bertens stormed to her first victory over the Australian.
Bertens continued her strong form after making the final in Zhuhai last week and the semifinals of the China Open earlier in the month, when she lost a three-set thriller to Barty.
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Bertens, who made the semifinals of last year's edition, has to win both her matches to qualify from Red Group.
In the later match, Belinda Bencic fought back from a second-set spiral to beat Petra Kvitova 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in one hour and 47 minutes.
Bencic stays alive
It kept her tournament hopes alive after she had lost her opening match to Barty.
Earlier, two-time Grand Slam winner and third-ranked, who was on a hot streak of 11 matches, withdrew from the season finale with a shoulder problem — the second straight year she has been forced out due to injury.
The 23-year-old Osaka said she was unsure of the severity of the injury, which she initially hurt during her triumph in Beijing earlier this month.
The results:
Red Group: Kiki Bertens bt Ashleigh Barty 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Belinda Bencic bt Petra Kvitova 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.