ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA -- The WTA announced today that Elina Svitolina and the doubles teams of Anna-Lena Groenefeld / Demi Schuurs and Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova have qualified for the 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, set to take place from October 27 through November 3 for a record-breaking $14 million in prize money. 

Svitolina becomes the seventh of eight singles players to clinch a spot at the year-end event, joining Ashleigh Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka and Petra Kvitova in Shenzhen, China.

Groenefeld / Schuurs and Krejcikova / Siniakova complete the doubles field in Shenzhen, joining Hsieh Su-Wei / Barbora Strycova, Elise Mertens / Aryna Sabalenka, Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, Gabriela Dabrowski / Xu Yifan, Latisha Chan / Chan Hao-Ching and Samantha Stosur / Zhang Shuai.

Svitolina has earned her spot in Shenzhen following another standout season, highlighted by reaching her career first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, and advancing to the final four again at the US Open to become one of just two players to reach the semifinals at two majors this season (also Serena Williams). 

The Ukrainian also made the semifinal stage on a further three occasions, at the Qatar Total Open (Doha), Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), and most recently made back-to-back quarterfinals at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open and the China Open (Beijing) to help secure her place in Shenzhen.

Svitolina will return to the season finale as the defending champion, having defeated Sloane Stephens in the championship match last year in Singapore to lift the Billie Jean King Trophy. This year will mark the Ukrainian’s third trip to the WTA Finals, having first qualified in 2017 and scoring a win over then-WTA World No.1 Simona Halep in the round-robin stage.

“The WTA Finals holds a special place in my heart since it is where I won the biggest title of my career last year,” said Svitolina. “I'm very excited to qualify for my third WTA Finals, and I’m looking forward to visiting Shenzhen for my first time.”

Groenefeld and Schuurs will make their first team appearance at the WTA Finals due to reaching five WTA doubles finals this season, contesting the title match at the Qatar Total Open (Doha), Internazionali BNL d’Italia (Rome), Nature Valley Classic (Birmingham), Rogers Cup presented by National Bank (Toronto) and the Western & Southern Open (Cincinnati). They are one of two teams to have reached as many finals this season – also Chan / Chan.

The German-Dutch pair will both make their second career appearances at the WTA Finals, and will be looking for their first win at the year-end event in Shenzhen. Groenefeld made her debut at the WTA Finals in 2017 partnering with Kveta Peschke, while Schuurs teamed up with Elise Mertens in last year’s event.

“I’m really excited to qualify for the WTA Finals again, and especially with my good friend Demi,” said Groenefeld. “We are very happy with our season and we hope to end it with a good run in Shenzhen.”

Schuurs added, “It’s an honor to be one of the top teams of the year. I’m looking forward to returning to the WTA Finals for my second time after a great season with Anna-Lena.”

Krejcikova and Siniakova, runners-up at last year’s WTA Finals and winners of the WTA Year-End World No.1 Doubles Ranking presented by Dubai Duty Free, will make their second consecutive appearance at the year-end finale after reaching three finals this season.

The all-Czech duo lifted the trophies at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank (Toronto) and most recently at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. They also reached the championship match at the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) and, as the defending champions, advanced to the semifinal stage at Wimbledon.

This will mark the fifth consecutive year an all-Czech team has qualified for the WTA Finals, joining the success of Andrea Sestini Hlavackova/Lucie Hradecka (2015-16) and Hradecka/Siniakova (2017), although they were forced to withdraw following an injury suffered by Hradecka.

“It means so much to have qualified for the WTA Finals with Barbora for the second year in a row now,” said Siniakova. Krejcikova added, “Our experience at the event last year was unforgettable, so to come back and compete against the top doubles teams for our second time is something we’re really looking forward to.”

The 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen features the world’s best players vying for a record-breaking US$14 million in prize money and two of the most prestigious titles in women’s tennis. The Top 8 singles players and doubles teams on the Porsche Race to Shenzhen – which includes 52 WTA tournaments and four Grand Slams – will compete in a round-robin format with the singles champion lifting the Billie Jean King Trophy and the doubles champions earning the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy.

The winner of the Porsche Race to Shenzhen - the player who finishes in pole position leading into the WTA Finals - will not only seal a spot at the season-ending showpiece, but also be congratulated with a new Porsche. The Porsche Race to Shenzhen Leaderboard is updated each Monday (every two weeks during Grand Slams events) and can be found at www.ShiseidoWTAFinalsShenzhen.com.

Tickets to the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen are on sale at www.ShiseidoWTAFinalsShenzhen.com.