Elina Svitolina has made history by becoming the first Ukranian to reach the final of the WTA Finals after beating the Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 6-4.
The 24-year-old overcame the eighth seed in two hours and 38 minutes, the longest match of the tournament so far.
Svitolina is the first Ukrainian to reach the WTA Finals final and will face the winner between Sloane Stephens and Karolina Pliskova, who contest the other semi-final on Saturday.
The two contenders traded early breaks in the first set but it then followed serve until Svitolina broke in the final game to go ahead in the match.
The Ukrainian saved four set points in the second and won three games in a row to go ahead but Bertens responded to force and win a tie-break.
The third set started with three consecutive breaks before Svitolina held to take a two-game lead and served out to win.
