MATCH POINTS
Caroline Wozniacki has a dominant 4-0 head-to-head lead over Anastasija Sevastova, and has only conceded one set to the 28-year-old in over seven years. In their first two meetings, Wozniacki was responsible for ending Sevastova's runs in the Latvian's first two appearances in the second week of a major - 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open and 6-0, 6-2 in the 2016 US Open quarterfinals. The Dane also triumphed in straight sets in the 2017 Dubai semifinals before Sevastova finally won a set in the third round of Rome this year, ultimately falling 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
For the second straight year, the Beijing final will see the No.2 seed square off against an unseeded rival - and, just as in last year's title round between Simona Halep and Caroline Garcia, the lower-ranked competitor enters the match having never beaten her opponent. Last year, Garcia would overcome a 0-2 head-to-head to notch up her only win against Halep to date.
Sevastova is the second Latvian to compete in a Premier Mandatory final following Jelena Ostapenko, who came runner-up in Miami this year to Sloane Stephens. All six of her previous finals - of which she has won three - have been at International level.
Wozniacki is bidding for her 30th career title, and third at Premier Mandatory level following Beijing 2010 and Indian Wells 2011. The Dane is 2-4 in Premier Mandatory finals overall, having been runner-up at Madrid 2009 (to Dinara Safina), Indian Wells 2010 (to Jelena Jankovic) and 2013 (to Maria Sharapova) and Miami 2017 (to Johanna Konta).
A victory for Sevastova would be a career-best win by ranking; she has previously defeated the World No.3 on three occasions (Garbiñe Muguruza at the 2016 US Open, Karolina Pliskova at Madrid 2017 and Sloane Stephens at the 2018 US Open). Sevastova will be bidding for her fifth Top 10 win of the season, and third overall in Beijing: her second ever Top 10 win was over Samantha Stosur in the first round here in 2010.
The reigning WTA Finals and Australian Open champion, victory for Wozniacki would mean that she holds three titles at Premier Mandatory level or higher for the first time in her career - the first player to do so since Serena Williams held the Australian Open, Miami, Roland Garros and Wimbledon crowns in 2015.
Sevastova needs to win the title to keep her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals alive. Regardless, though, she is guaranteed to beat her career high ranking of World No.15 on Monday, rising to World No.12 with a loss and World No.11 with a win.
ORDER OF PLAY
NATIONAL TENNIS STADIUM (starts 12 noon)
Gabriela DABROWSKI (CAN) / XU Yifan (CHN) [3] vs Andrea SESTINI HLAVACKOVA (CZE) / Barbora STRYCOVA (CZE) [2]
After 1 ATP match, not before 4.30pm
Anastasija SEVASTOVA (LAT) vs Caroline WOZNIACKI (DEN) [2]
