WTA Finals Shenzhen Purple Group Preview: Andreescu vs. Pliskova

Standings screenshot from shiseidowtafinalsshenzhen.com

It seems the dreaded injury bug has bitten this year’s WTA Finals. First it was Belinda Bencic’s heel, then Bianca Andreescu’s back, and now Naomi Osaka's right shoulder, which forced the Australian Open champion to withdraw Tuesday.

“My back friggin hurts,” a downhearted Andreescu said in her post-match press conference on Monday. “I really don’t wanna blame my back, but I felt I didn’t have the same power that I had in the first and second set,” she added, referring to her gut-wrenching three-set loss to Halep in which she held a match point in the second set.

Andreescu has battled through injuries all year, and with a full day of rest in between matches, she should be fit enough to take the court against the huge-hitting Karolina Pliskova for the second time this year on Wednesday. Like Andreescu, the Czech will be eager to get in the win column after being outclassed by defending champion Elina Svitolina in her first round-robin match.

Andreescu won the pair's first encounter in a topsy-turvy 6-0, 2-6, 6-4 quarterfinal victory on her way to the Rogers Cup title in Toronto. Operating at full health, or even close to it, Andreescu’s variety should trouble Pliskova more than it did Halep. Andreescu loves her drop shot, but may have used it too often against Halep, one of the games most agile players. The young Canadian will welcome Pliskova’s raw power in exchange for a much less mobile opponent.

“I really don’t wanna talk about my back right now,” Andreescu responded when asked if she felt the pain before the match. It’s impossible to know how Andreescu’s back is actually feeling, but her health obviously plays a pivotal role in the outcome of this tournament. Assuming the 19-year-old is fit enough to compete, expect Andreescu to reinsert herself into the hunt for the final four with a much needed victory. Winner: Andreescu