ZHUHAI (China) • Women's Tennis Association chief executive Steve Simon wants the WTA Finals to become the last event of the season from 2019, meaning a likely swop with the ongoing Elite Trophy in Zhuhai.

He said the Elite Trophy, which features 12 players ranked roughly from No. 9 to No. 20, should precede the WTA Finals, the traditional season finale which has the women's top eight and which finished in Singapore last Sunday.

"Several years ago they were flipped," he told reporters at the US$2 million (S$2.7 million) Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, southern China.

"It is something I would like to see changed going forward. It won't happen in 2018 but, for 2019 and beyond, it would be my goal to see the WTA Finals as the last event of the year, no question. I think it's something that we have to fix long term."

Singapore will again be hosting the WTA Finals next October - the final edition of a five-year deal that expires next year.

The venue of the tournament for 2019 and beyond is scheduled to be announced in April, with Singapore looking to remain the host city amid competition from the likes of Manchester, Prague, St Petersburg and Shenzhen.

Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki won the US$7 million event on Sunday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE