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Elina Svitolina qualifies for semifinals at WTA Finals

Shenzhen - Svitolina last won a tournament at last year's WTA Finals

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Defending champion Elina Svitolina qualified for the semifinals of the season-ending WTA Finals by beating Simona Halep 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday.
 Svitolina, the only competitor in the eight-player field not to win a title this season, last won a tournament at last year's WTA Finals.
 The Ukrainian is 2-0 in the Purple Group, winning both of her matches in straight sets. Halep is 1-1 after saving a match point in her three-set victory over Bianca Andreescu.
 In the late match, Andreescu retired with a left knee injury after losing the first set to Karolina Pliskova 6-3.
 Pliskova, who is 1-1, will face Wimbledon champion Halep in their final group match for another spot in the semifinals.
 Svitolina broke Halep in the final game of the first set to take the lead. She then broke the Romanian's serve in the eighth game of the second set and held to win.
 The victory was Svitolina's fifth in nine matches against Halep. On the four previous occasions in which she won, Svitolina went on to win the tournament.
 Andreescu was injured while leading 2-0 in the first set, with Pliskova serving at 30-15 in the third game.
 During a medical timeout, Andreescu had her knee taped and she played through the first set, even challenging Pliskova's serve with three break-point opportunities in the fifth game.

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