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Estonian Kontaveit dominated the round-robin stage match and
closed out the opener with a drop shot to break Pliskova's
serve, having saved three break points in the third game.
The third-seeded Czech could not get a foothold in the second
set as Kontaveit dropped only one first-serve point, while
Pliskova struggled with her second serve.
It was Kontaveit's first win in four meetings with Pliskova.
The WTA Finals divides the players into two groups of four, with
each player competing in three matches. The top two from each
group advance to the semi-finals.
Kontaveit beat world number three and French Open champion
Barbora Krejcikova on Wednesday and is now guaranteed to finish
in the top two in the group.
She came into the match on a career-best 11-match winning
streak, having won the Transylvania Open and Kremlin Cup while
reaching the quarter-finals at Indian Wells last month.
The Estonian has 28 wins in her last 30 matches.
"I've really been enjoying being on court, just having a good
time," she said.
"I think that's been the main thing why I've been doing so well.
I do feel like I can take on everyone. I never expect an easy
match, I always expect it to be tough. I just try my best when I
go out there."
As for finally getting a win against the hard-hitting Pliskova,
she said it was all about having a short memory.
"I wasn't thinking about the fact that I was three-love down in
previous matches," she said.
"Every time you step on the court, you have a new opportunity.
The previous matches don't really matter. It's a new day and you
have to beat the player you're playing against."
It looked like it would be an early exit from the tournament for
Muguruza as she got off to a rocky start against second-seed
Krejcikova.
But she improved in the second set and grinded out an early
break in a lengthy game in the third to take a 2-1 lead she
would not give back.
The Spaniard let out a mighty roar when Krejcikova sent a
service return long on match point to complete the comeback.
Muguruza will next face Kontaveit, who will advance to the semis
regardless of the outcome of that match, while Krejcikova will
battle Pliskova.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York and Rory Carroll in Los
Angeles; Editing by Ken Ferris and Lincoln Feast.)
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