Top seed Simona Halep is all ready for WTA Finals

Singapore

THE absence of Serena Williams, the world's best female tennis player, at next week's BNP Paribas Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Finals tournament in Singapore means the field is wide open for any of the eight players to lift the trophy.

The American triumphed last year at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang - her third WTA Finals crown in a row - but she won't be defending her title after opting to withdraw earlier this month to recover from a series of injuries.

With the hard-hitting Williams out of contention, the world No 2 Simona Halep is now the top seed at the prestigious US$7 million event, which b…