WTA Finals: Sloane Stephens v Karolina Pliskova – live!

• WTA Finals updates from the 12.30 BST match in Singapore
• Stephens into semi-finals after beating Angelique Kerber
• Feel free to email James your thoughts or via Twitter @piercy360

1.00pm BST

First set: Stephens 0-3 Pliskova* (*denotes server)

That game featured the longest rally of the match so far (sorry wasn’t counting) and despite some nice work from Pliskova, moving Stephens all over the court and drawing a sky high lob, she blasted her smash straight into the net. At 30-30, she then found the net again, this time inexplicably with a regulation forehand giving Stephens a chance to break back. Rather fittingly, she defended that with a smash and then volley at the net (this isn’t textbook Pliskova stuff, folks). At deuce, both players were guilty of some wayward groundstrokes but the Czech managed to close it out with a full and deep serve into the far corner of the service box, forcing Stephens to stretch and fire her return out. The PA is now playing an EDM rework of Wonderwall… I don’t know what to say.

12.53pm BST

First set: Stephens* 0-2 Pliskova (*denotes server)

Pliskova breaks! Stephens cruised to 30-0 following some misdirected groundstrokes from Pliskova but the American then found the net with a backhand following a moderate baseline rally. In amongst that someone in the crowd got a telling of for (twice!) taking pictures with a flash on. Anyway, Stephens was wayward twice again to bring up break point for Pliskova but some rapid groundstrokes hurried the Czech and she couldn’t take advantage. After a beautiful forehand winner down the line from the American, her slightly erratic second serve let her down and presented Pliskova with another break, and this time she took it, slamming a forehand into the corner. She’s attacking both first and second serve here.

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