WTA Finals Shenzhen tournament betting preview, free tip and where to watch

Where to watch

BT Sport, from 8.30am Sunday

Best bet

Belinda Bencic to win WTA Finals Shenzhen
1pt 14-1 Betfred
Back this tip with William Hill

Tournament preview

US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has arguably been done the biggest favour after the WTA Finals Shenzhen draw put her in the Purple Group alongside Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep and defending champion Elina Svitolina.

That means Canadian Andreescu has avoided the blissfully talented quartet of Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic, who will fight out the Red Group.

In the Purple section, two of the players, Karolina Pliskova, the section's highest seed, and Svitolina don't have a positive head-to-head record against any of their group opponents, so that could be a boost for Andreescu and the ever-popular Simona Halep.

In the Red Group, tournament top seed Barty doesn't have a winning record against any of her section rivals, so it's just possible the Australian could toil in China.

There should be less pressure on Osaka this year than last and the Japanese ace could be dangerous after stepping up her performances in recent weeks.

Kvitova, who has a positive personal series record against two of her three section rivals, and Bencic, who has prospered against Osaka, could go well though and should be respected.

The oddsmakers can't split Barty, Osaka and Andreescu in the title betting but the indoor conditions may not suit the Flushing Meadows heroine as much as outdoors.

Kvitova, champion in Istanbul eight years ago, could go well but the best value may be the rank outsider Bencic, who only just nailed her place in the Shenzhen line-up when coasting to the Kremlin Cup title earlier this month.

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