FILE PHOTO: Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 5, 2024 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during her women's singles group stage match against Coco Gauff of the U.S. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo
(Reuters) - World number two Iga Swiatek will play Daria Kasatkina on Thursday in her must-win match to stay in the hunt for a spot in the WTA Finals semi-finals after Jessica Pegula withdrew from the tournament with a knee injury.
The sixth-seeded American pulled out, the WTA said on Wednesday, after a 6-3 6-3 defeat by Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday ended her chances of qualifying for the last four in Riyadh.
Pegula has been replaced by first alternate and world number nine Kasatkina, who will face Swiatek in her final match in the orange group.
The Pole will look to rebound from her 6-3 6-4 loss to Coco Gauff and also needs the already-qualified American to beat Krejcikova to advance.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)
