Victoria Azarenka will meet Marion Bartoli on Friday in the group stages of the WTA Championships

You can watch and bet on the action from the WTA Championships at bet365

Marion Bartoli finished just outside of the top eight this season, but she gets the opportunity to play in the WTA Championships following Maria Sharapova’s withdrawal. After two defeats, Sharapova chose not to aggravate an injury to her left ankle, leaving Bartoli to step in. Bartoli has no chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, but she’ll be looking to achieve a victory on Friday when she meets Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka has made an explosive start in Istanbul, and her place in the final four has already been secured. The Belarusian beat both Samantha Stosur and Na Li in straight sets, and her performances have certainly been impressive. She doesn’t have a huge amount to play for on Friday, but she’ll still be looking to top the group with three wins.

Bartoli will need to work hard to achieve victory here. She holds a 1-7 head to head record against Azarenka, who has secured all but one of these wins in straight sets.

Both of these players have an opportunity to experiment a little, with the result being of only minor importance. With this in mind, the fans should be in for an exciting clash here.

You can watch and bet on the action from the WTA Championships at bet365