Madison Keys records first WTA Finals victory as Angelique Kerber wins again

Angelique Kerber emphasised her world No 1 status with her straight sets victory

World No 1 Angelique Kerber closed in on a semi-final spot at the WTA Finals by beating Simona Halep in straight sets in Singapore.

Kerber was ruthless in dispatching the Romanian 6-4 6-2 in 82 minutes to secure her second victory in the Red Group of the season-closing tournament.

While the match was closer than the scoreline might suggest, German Kerber was able to find a consistency absent in her feisty counterpart, who struggled to find a reliable rhythm and appeared uncharacteristically off-balance at times.

Unforced errors were the crucial factor in a contest that pitted two of the game's best ball-strikers against one another, and Halep's failure to convert several key points mid-match proved decisive. Kerber reeled off five straight games to win the first set, and go a break up in the second before her opponent could catch her breath.

Kerber's consistency, which has taken her to the top of the rankings, was too much for Simona Halep

Elsewhere, Madison Keys, the first American to break into the world top 10 since Serena Williams in 1999, was ecstatic with her 6-1 6-4 dismissal of Dominika Cibulkova, her first win at the tournament coming without facing a single break point. 

Without a flicker of nerves, Madison Keys sealed her maiden WTA Finals victory

Keys had a 3-0 head-to-head with Cibulkova coming into the match and dismissed concerns the occasion could get the better of her by hitting 26 winners to move abover her opponent in the Red Group.

Kerber tops the pool with two wins, Halep and Keys have one apiece, and Cibulkova sits in fourth with just one set to her name. World No 4 Halep overcame Keys earlier in the tournament, and looks likely to qualify for the semi-finals behind the undefeated Kerber.

By a hair's breadth

Might another trim be the answer for Kuznetsova today?

Today's action kicks off with Karolina Pliskova against Svetlana Kuznetsova, the Russian whose last-ditch qualification attempt in Moscow ousted Britain's Johanna Konta and who opened up with a victory over Agnieska Radwanska. 

On her day, Garbine Muguruza is near unbeatable - but will she perform in Singapore?

The second fixture of the day has the potential to be electric, as the inconsistent but ferociously talented Garbine Muguruza faces the wily and ever-creative Radwanska - reigning champion at the WTA Finals.

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