Britain's Johanna Konta misses out on WTA Finals as Svetlana Kuznetsova wins Kremlin Cup

Britain's Johanna Konta has missed out on a place at the WTA Finals after Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Daria Gavrilova in the Kremlin Cup. The 31-year-old Russian won 6-2 6-1 in Moscow to secure the eighth and final tournament spot.

The Australian-born British number one had hoped to appear at the season-ending event in Singapore, which attracts all of the top-ranked players from around the world. But Konta has seen her ambitions dashed by Kuznetsova's one-sided success against her 22-year-old opponent in the Russian capital.

As a result, Kuznetsova has joined Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Garbine Muguruza, Madison Keys and Linz Open winner Dominika Cibulkova in the draw for the event.

However, Serena Williams - the current world number two - will be absent from the tournament in Singapore owing to an ongoing shoulder injury. It is the second year in a row that the 22-times Grand Slam winner has been forced to pull out of the event.

"I am really, really bombed that I won't be able to compete," Williams said on Monday (17 October). "It has been a really tough year for me, just dealing with my shoulder injury. My doctor insists that I stay at home and heal it every single day so I can have a chance to play next year."

Despite her disappointment, Konta has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the last 12 months, which has seen her reach number nine in the world. In the process, the 25-year-old star - who is in Singapore with the rest of the WTA finalists - became the first Brit to make the top ten of the WTA rankings in more than 30 years.