WTA Finals: Ash Barty faces Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic in horror draw at Shenzhen

All she needs to do is basically turn up and the ultimate end-of-year honour is hers but Ash Barty is determined to end the year on a high at Shenzhen despite having to navigate through a group of death.

Ash Barty has eyes on another title in China.

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Ashleigh Barty must navigate a path through tennis’ version of the group of death to give herself a shot at icing her magical season with title glory at the WTA Finals in China.

All but guaranteed the year-end world No.1 ranking regardless of her showing in Shenzhen, Barty has been thrust into a devilish pool containing both this year’s Australian Open finalists - champion Naomi Osaka and runner-up Petra Kvitova - plus Swiss prodigy Belinda Bencic.

The other group is almost as treacherous.

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The top eight glam up for the world stage.

It features Karolina Pliskova - the only player with a glimmer of hope of denying Barty the year-ending top spot - against US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, Wimbledon winner Simona Halep and titleholder Elina Svitolina.

Only injury or illness can prevent Barty from becoming Australia’s first year- end No.1 since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.

The French Open champion doesn’t even need to win a match at the elite eight-women championships, such is her whopping rankings lead over her rivals.

Barty merely has to complete all three of her pool matches, or win one of her first two, to secure top spot at the end of 2019 - and almost certainly also claim top seeding for January’s Australian Open.

But the winner of a tour-topping 52 matches this year hasn’t come to south China for the second prize.

Ash Barty was the centre of attention in Shenzhen.

“This is a special tournament for myself and my team and I’ll be fighting hard to finish the WTA season with the Shenzhen title,” Barty said after being formally recognised as the winner of the Race to Shenzhen at a lavish draw ceremony.

“It was already an honour to qualify for the WTA Finals, but to also finish the Porsche Race to Shenzhen on top is an achievement I’m incredibly proud of.”

Pliskova needs a minor miracle to crash the Barty party.

The big-serving left-hander has to win the title, be undefeated in five matches during the week and hope Barty is unable to complete the group stages.

Fittingly, it was China this time last year that provided the springboard for Barty’s spectacular 2019 campaign.

Last year’s title in Zhuhai was the start of the momentum for Barty.

Success at the Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, the biggest title of her career to that point and coming after she had made the final in Wuhan, marked the start of her stunning run.

Fast forward 12 months and the 23-year-old is a grand slam champion boasting three titles this season as well finishing runner-up to Osaka at last week’s China Open.

Barty’s watershed year has also featured an undefeated Fed Cup in leading Australia to its first final since 1993 and a career-best charge to the quarter-finals of her home slam in Melbourne.

She also won her first WTA Premier Mandatory crown at the Miami Open, became the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley 43 years ago to ascend to the top of the rankings and was the only player to make the second week of all four majors in 2019.

Barty is also the first Australian to qualify for the WTA Finals since former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in 2012.

Stosur, a singles semi-finalist in 2010, is contesting the doubles finals in Shenzhen with Zhang Shuai.

Originally published as WTA Finals: Ash Barty faces Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic in horror draw at Shenzhen