WTA Finals champion Ashleigh Barty: "It has been a remarkable year tonight was about coming out and fighting to the end. I couldn’t be prouder. It has been an incredible year.

“It was a slow court so I had to take chances and shift position more. I had to take chances even if it meant a few more errors.

"I’m proud of myself and the team, we tried to put ourselves in the biggest situations and occasions and we managed to do that.”

A fitting finale to a wonderful WTA season. Four different Grand Slam winners, a host of potential major champions, talented young players already winning the biggest prizes.

The future is bright. Roll on 2020...

Of course 2019 belongs to Ashleigh Barty, the former cricketer who has returned to the sport to achieve her wildest dreams.

Goodbye!

Image source, Getty Images

Complete control for Barty now. Within the blink of an eye it is Championship point...

Barty finally breaks in the game. And she might just have broken Svitolina's spirit.

Svitolina hits a loose backhand down the line into the tramlines and throws her arms in the air in annoyance. Racquet crashes to the ground.

Long way back from here...

More hustling from Barty sets up another chance for the top seed to serve for the match...

Another game, another break point.

An unconvincing approach from Svitolina leaves her stranded at the net at 30-15, allowing Barty to eventually pass after some resistance and set up another chance to move closer to victory.

Crash! Bang! Svitolina activates a serving superpower with two crunching first serves and, after failing to get over the line initially, takes a more nuanced approach with a delicate touch.

Then another humdinger of a forehand neuter from Barty clips the line again - HawkEye proves - and we go to deuce for a third time.

More twists and turns than a country lane in the Cotswolds. Just as Ashleigh Barty looked to be zooming towards victory, Elina Svitolina fights back.

Svitolina leads 30-15... then, what a point! Barty is darting all over the court like an overhead camera on a zip wire... forward, back, side to side. The Aussie sticks away an overhead for 30-30, only to throw the momentum back to the Ukrainian with a double fault.

A wild forehand from the top seed puts us back on serve...

Svitolina is shrinking into her shell now. Less confidence, less success. It's a downward spiral.

Another break point for Barty... and Svitolina produces her first double fault of the match. There's a never a good time for one, but that is really bad timing...

The sooner they roll out the on-court coaching in the Slams, the better for me. Fascinating stuff.

Ash Barty holds to love to go back ahead as Elina Svitolina's shoulders slump somewhat.

The defending champ needs a pick-me-up and calls coach Andy Bettles to provide it.

"There is not much in this, a couple of points difference. You have to keep staying positive. You can do this."

Keep plugging away with the backhand, he tells her, Svitolina complaining she hasn't landed any.

"You have! Five. You've missed one. Come on. Big energy."

What's that old tennis proverb? It's not a break until you've held.

Ash Barty lost her concentration in the previous service game but locks back in immediately to take Elina Svitolina's serve straight back.

The top seed sets up the chance by a well-constructed point finished off with a forehand which dusts the line, then clinches the break with an overhead after a thrilling exchange.

Well, well, well. Funny old game. Barty suddenly loses her way for the first time on serve, Svitolina digging in with her trademark resilience to bring up two break points.

Only the one is needed as Barty coughs up a double fault. Svitolina clenching those teeth and pumping that fist.

Svitolina's ace count has dropped off the cliff. None since that first game as Barty has managed to neutralise that newly-acquired armory.

Svitolina's British coach Andy Bettles looks a little concerned in the stands. Surprised he's not been down yet to offer some words of wisdom yet, with coaches - of course - allowed to come onto court and give a pep talk.

Another testy game for the Ukrainian as Barty pushes her to deuce, before the Aussie wallops a forehand off the top of the net and into the tramlines for the hold.

Solid start to the second set from Barty. Scoreboard pressure on Svitolina.

The Ukrainian version of "Let's go Elina, let's go!" rings out as the players return to the court. Think that must the Ukrainian tennis superfan, who I've seen at EVERY tournament, trying to rally his compatriot.

First blood goes to the Aussie after an opener tighter than a U-bolt.

Very little between the pair in an absorbing set.

Svitolina needs to do what she did last year to win the title: dig deep and fight back from a set down.

Another chance for Barty to wrap up the opener and charges forward to intimidate Svitolina. But the Ukrainian has a laser-like passing shot and beats her opponent down the ad side.

However, Barty gets another chance a few moments later with a heavy net-cord which leaves her holding her hand up in apology.

Set point number three...

Punches and counter punches are rolling from both baselines, Barty seeing a chance and going for it with a cross-court forehand... wide! Barty going for her shots but just can't quite execute them.