2019 WTA Finals Odds & Betting Preview: Barty Favored in Year-End Tournament
- The WTA Finals, also known as the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, will take place in Shenzhen, China this year
- Belinda Bencic passed Serena Williams to take the last spot
- The eight players participating have accumulated the most points over 16 tournaments
The 49th WTA Finals will be played October 27 – November 3 at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre in Shenzhen, China. On September 9, Ashleigh Barty became the first qualifier, and Belinda Bencic became the last on October 19. Points are combined from 16 tournaments throughout the year. And this year, it came down to the last tournament, where Bencic beat out Serena Williams for the last qualifying spot.
WTA Finals Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ashleigh Barty | +400 |
| Bianca Andreescu | +400 |
| Naomi Osaka | +400 |
| Elina Svitolina | +700 |
| Karolina Pliskova | +700 |
| Simona Halep | +700 |
| Petra Kvitova | +800 |
| Belinda Bencic | +1000 |
Odds taken October 23, 2019.
The first 19 tournaments played this year had 19 different players winning, with all four Grand Slams having a different winner. The way this season has played out, is a representation of what this tournament will be like.
Past Winners
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Elina Svitolina |
| 2017 | Caroline Wozniacki |
| 2016 | Dominika Cibulkova |
| 2015 | Agnieszka Radwanska |
| 2014 | Serena Williams |
Defending Champion
Elina Svitolina is the WTA Finals defending champion. But her 2019 season wasn’t exactly what she had hoped for. She has not been able to win a title this year. But despite not being able to win, she has made extremely deep runs at major tournaments more than once. She reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, losing to the eventual champion, Simona Halep, as well as losing in the semifinals of the US Open to Serena Williams.
The defending champion @ElinaSvitolina is back for @SHISEIDO_corp WTA Finals Shenzhen! pic.twitter.com/5VPdCwJnS7
— WTA Finals (@WTAFinals) October 21, 2019
This year, Svitolina is coming into the tournament with +700 odds, behind some young tennis phenoms that are bound to put the pressure on her, and possibly get in her way of defending her title.
World No. 1
The top seed at the WTA Finals, Ashleigh Barty has had a season to remember. The Australian went on to win her first Grand Slam at the French Open, extending her match-winning streak to 15. While doing all of that she managed to become World No. 1.
Throughout the second half of the season, she did give it up to Naomi Osaka at one point after dealing with injuries and retiring from some matches. But she’s back at No. 1, and going to be an extremely tough opponent for anyone she faces.
Andreescu Youngest to Qualify
At 19-years old, Andreescu is the youngest player to qualify for the WTA Finals since Carolina Wozniacki. Bianca Andreescu made her name known this tennis season. As a wild card entry, she took home the title at Indian Wells. In the middle of the season, she battled a shoulder injury but was able to come back and win the Rogers Cup in front of a home crowd.
In a rematch of that Rogers Cup final, Bianca defeated Serena Williams at the US Open to take home her first Grand Slam, all while breaking the Top Ten in the WTA Rankings. She became the first Canadian to ever win a Grand Slam.
.@Bandreescu_ continues to make history ??? pic.twitter.com/cCYhrSK2tW
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 21, 2019
The Canadian is coming into the tournament with +400 odds, tied with Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka, and is the highest-ranked Canadian tennis player ever, at No. 4.
Best Bet
The WTA Finals tournament is going to be one of the best WTA tournaments of the year. All eight players have showcased their talents this season. Bianca Andreescu has probably had the best second half-season and is the storyline throughout tennis. If she is able to bring her aggression and motivation to the tournament, she will likely be in the finals.
She was knocked out of the China Open by Naomi Osaka, who may cause her trouble this tournament. But having just recently played her could play in favor of the Canadian being able to adjust her game the way she does.
Pick: Andreescu +400
A graduate of Sport Media at Ryerson University, Hayley is the ultimate student of sports. Whether she is playing it, watching it, debating it, or writing it, it's safe to assume sport consumes the majority of her life. She has worked both internationally and with the NBA.
