Kiki Bertens has turned the WTA Finals upside down with an improbable victory over world No.1 Ashleigh Barty.
Bertens arrived at the elite tournament as an alternate but has suddenly jumped into title contention after taking the place of the injured Naomi Osaka and taking down the misfiring Barty 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Belinda Bencic’s 6-3 1-6 6-4 win over Petra Kvitova in Tuesday night’s second match in Shenzhen blew the Red Group wide open with all four players in the mix for a semi-final berth.
Officials were frantically working through the permutations as Barty, with a 1-1 record after her first two group encounters, Bencic (1-1), Bertens (1-0) and Kvitova (0-2) all remained in the mix depending on Thursday night’s final Red Group match-ups.
Barty plays Kvitova and Bertens faces Bencic and countbacks are likely to be needed to decide the final standings.
No alternate has ever won more than one match at a season-ending championships, let alone reached the semi-finals.
Incredibly, though, Bertens could yet top the group despite playing only twice compared to her rivals’ three outings each.
“I’m a little bit lucky to get in. Unfortunate for Naomi, of course. I just take her spot, try to perform as good as I can, try to give all the energy what’s left in me,” Bertens said.
“Yeah, I just beat the world No.1 so it’s just a really good feeling.”
Runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in the Elite Trophy final on Sunday, Bertens had lost all four previous meetings with Barty.
But the Dutchwoman came close last clash, holding a match point this month in Beijing.
Last year, Bertens reached the semi-finals in her WTA Finals debut in Singapore, bowing to defending champion Elina Svitolina.
But this year’s looked like being a short-lived campaign when Barty led by a set and 3-2 before Australia’s top seed went badly off the boil, losing eight games – and then the match.
Despite being winless after falling to Osaka on Sunday and now Bencic, even Kvitova could still make the semi-finals if she topples Barty, who can win the group with victory over the Czech.