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.
Gauff was already guaranteed to make the semis, but world number two Swiatek needed the American to beat eighth-seeded Czech Krejcikova who required a victory herself to progress.
Swiatek had produced a ruthless performance to dismantle Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-0 in the earlier match, but it was not enough for her.
Gauff will face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, while Krejcikova takes on Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
