Halep, Wozniacki claim wins at WTA Finals

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Singapore, October 23: Simona Halep looked every inch the world No.1 as she rode out a rocky WTA Finals opener against Caroline Garcia to win in straight sets.

Garcia's late run to Singapore came courtesy of an 11-match winning streak that included titles in Wuhan and Beijing, the latter sealed with a final victory over Halep.

But the Romanian took this contest 6-4 6-2, showing a greater fluency in the crucial exchanges to start her quest to hold off six rivals for her top ranking in style.

The second Red Group match of the day was a completely one-sided affair when Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki blew away Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-0 in less than an hour to gain revenge for two finals defeats against the Ukrainian this season.

Though Garcia's purple patch came to an end, she impressed on her debut at the tournament and may fancy her chances against Red Group rivals Svitolina, who she beat in Beijing, and Wozniacki.

The Frenchwoman pushed Halep all the way in the 2017 French Open finalist's first service game, but the top seed clung on in a 16-point slog that lasted almost 10 minutes.

Garcia conceded a solitary point in her opening two service games, but Halep came alive in the next, creaming a backhand winner up the line before a pair of wild Garcia backhands sealed the break.

.@Simona_Halep with the backhand down the line! #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/FKhF4GU6bF

— WTA (@WTA) October 23, 2017