Aryna Sabalenka opened her WTA Finals campaign with a 7–6 (2), 7–5 victory over Karolina Muchova at Indian Wells on 9 November. The Group 2 match lasted one hour and 53 minutes, according to the WTA's official report.
After losing serve when attempting to close the match at 5–4, Sabalenka broke again and completed the win on her next service game. It was her fifth consecutive opening-match victory at the season-ending tournament.
Group stage continues
Sabalenka's group also includes Mirra Andreeva and Elina Svitolina. The official tournament guide schedules Group 2 singles matches on 9, 11 and 13 November, with each player facing the other three once.
Two players from each group advance to the semifinals. Group winners then meet the runners-up from the opposite group, so the opening result is the first step in a three-match qualification campaign.
The Indian Wells event runs from 8–15 November and features eight singles players alongside eight doubles teams. The singles semifinals are scheduled for 14 November and the championship match for 15 November. Both draws begin with round-robin competition before moving into the knockout stage.
Source: www.wtatennis.com
