(Reuters) - Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and top seed Elina Svitolina, who have both qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals, withdrew from the Hong Kong Open through injury on Thursday. Wozniacki pulled out before her match against Lizette Cabrera with elbow pain, giving the Australian teenager a free passage into the quarter-finals. Svitolina failed to recover from a right leg injury to start her match against world number 114 American Nicole Gibbs. Wozniacki, who beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-1 6-1 in the opening round on Wednesday, and Svitolina have already booked their places in the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore which take place from Oct. 22-29. Jennifer Brady upset Chinese eighth seed Zhang Shuai 6-3 6-4 to advance to the last eight in Hong Kong.

Source: The Star October 12, 2017 12:22 UTC