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SHENZHEN, Nov. 2-- World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty of Australia came back from a set down to move past No. 2 Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals of the 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen here on Saturday. Barty had bested Pliskova in three of their five previous meetings, the most recent victory taking place in Miami earlier this year. A pair of unforced errors from Barty on her opening service would bring it to deuce, but she managed to hold after saving three break points and peppering in an ace. Pliskova also had a few hiccups on her first service, double faulting but managing to claw her way out of a ditch for a hold to 30 sealed through a spectacular forehand volley from the service line. The next two service games would both go to deuce, with neither player managing to convert. But it was Barty who began to slip the most, surrendering her first break point through a wide backhand unforced error. Pliskova kept it clutch on Barty's service at 2-all, taking her to break point for the third consecutive game. A netted forehand unforced from Barty would hand Pliskova a crucial break as her second service stat fell to an abysmal 30 percent and the Czech went up 3-2. Barty would tighten up considerably on second return from there, but it would not be enough to halt Pliskova's dominating forehand. With Pliskova serving for the set at 5-4, Barty managed to create a break point off a netcord winner, but it came naught after a perfect cross-court baseline shot from Pliskova. The Czech sealed the opening set in 48-minutes, firing off 12 winners on 77 percent first service shooting. | 
