Kontaveit, ranked 20th in the world, had not needed to qualify for the tournament whereas Siniakova, ranked 30 places lower by the WTA but also a doubles finalist at the Tokyo Olympics, had come via qualification.

In set one, the Czech started off well on the hard indoor courts of the Luzhniki Palace of Sports, by breaking Kontavaeit's serve, but had no answer to the enxt five games, as the Estonian, 25, from Tallinn, took things to 5:1. Kontaveit almost took the set in the next game, but Siniakova broke her serve and held her own in the next game. Kontaveit very nearly had her set broken yet again, in the final game of the set, but held on to take it 6:3.

Set two started off more evenly as both players held their first serving games, but after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in breaking each others' service, Kontaveit held on to reach 5:3 in games, taking the next game, and with it set and match, after Siniakova committed two double fouls in a row.

The entire encounter lasted an hour and 13 minutes.

Kontaveit served up one ace and committeed two double faults, while for Siniakova the figures were two aces and four double faults. Kontaveit's first service ssuccess rate stood at 64 percent to Siniakova's 70 percent, but the Estonian won more of her overall points (72 percent) off her first serve than Siniakova did (56 percent).

Kontaveit converted five out of ten break points, to Siniakova's two out of 12.

Kontaveit faces either Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, (WTA 30th), who defeated her at Eastbourne in June, or Andrea Petkovic (Germany, WTA 79th).

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