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 Suarez Navarro needed to make the final in Russia to overtake the
Czech and book a spot in the elite tournament in Singapore, which
starts on Sunday, but was beaten by Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-2
in her last eight clash.
Safarova, who had already qualified for the WTA Finals doubles with
partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands, will make her debut in the tournament
after a standout year where she reached the final of the French
Open.
She also won the Australian Open and French Open doubles titles with
the American.
"I am really excited to qualify for the WTA Finals for the first
time," Safarova, the world number nine, said in a statement.
"It has been a dream year and to be one of the eight qualifiers in
singles and also compete in the doubles is something that makes me
very proud.
"There have already been so many highlights this year, and I hope to
finish it playing some more great tennis in front of the amazing
Singapore crowd."
World number one Serena Williams, who narrowly missed out on a rare
calendar Grand Slam, decided earlier this month that she would not
be defending her WTA Finals title, citing the need to allow her body
to heal.
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Safarova joins Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sharapova,
Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Flavia
Pennetta in the Singapore singles field.
Swiss Timea Bacsinszky and former world number one Venus Williams
are first and second alternates.
(Reporting by Patrick Johnston; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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