Coco Gauff and Caroline Garcia qualified for the WTA Finals after Aryna Sabalenka lost to Liudmila Samsonova in the second round of the Guadalajara Open on Wednesday.

Russian Samsonova, who has won 20 of her last 22 matches, smacked 21 winners and broke the powerful Belarusian four times en route to a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 upset win over the world No.4.

Garcia had earlier defeated Rebecca Marino 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).The WTA Finals, featuring the world’s top eight players, starts in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 31.

Caroline Garcia. File picture

Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula had already locked up the first three spots before the ongoing tournament. With the addition of USA’s Gauff and France’s Garcia, three slots remain.

Fifth seed Gauff was not at her best but was still good enough to see off Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.

“I’m just super excited,” said Gauff, 18, who will be the youngest player to compete at the WTA Finals since 2005. “I wasn’t really thinking about it before the match, but I’m excited to join Jess (Pegula),” she said. The pair have also qualified for the WTA Finals doubles tournament.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina’s hopes of making the Finals ended after Pegula saved three match points to emerge with a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) victory. Rybakina would have qualified for the Finals if the WTA had issued ranking points at Wimbledon this year.

Victoria Azarenka also progressed to the third round here after her top-seeded opponent Paula Badosa retired.

The 24-year-old Badosa, who appeared to be struggling to breathe, decided that she could no longer continue after losing the first set 6-2. The Spaniard’s retirement means she can no longer qualify for the WTA Finals.

Azarenka will next face Madison Keys, who battled back from a set down to beat Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Another hopeful Belinda Bencic was beaten 4-6, 4-6 by Sloane Stephens.