The final set saw both women serve for the match as the game see-sawed , neither able to clinch it , and Kuznetsova must be over the moon with the result. After all, she only just made it here, becoming the eighth and final qualifier by winning the season-ending tournament in Moscow right on the eve of the Singapore event.

Title-holder Agnieszka Radwanska remains in the hunt and could make the semis after beating Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza. It was a straight sets win, even if the first was a stiff test, 7-6. The second was far easier, with the Spaniard only winning three games, and being dumped out of the tournament. It was only in June she tasted the glory of winning the French Open, but since then she’s gone off the boil in dramatic style. (Euronews)