Several high-profile players will be absent from the tournament, which had been due to be staged in China before being moved to the Mexican city because of COVID-19.

World number one and defending WTA Finals champion Ashleigh Barty announced last month that she would not participate due to strict COVID-19 quarantine requirements in Australia.

Serena Williams of the United States, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, is injured, while four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan remains on an extended break from the sport.

Only two of 2021’s Grand Slam finalists will be at the event in Guadalajara - the Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejčíková, the world number three who won the French Open in June, and her compatriot Karolina Pliskova, beaten by Barty in the final of Wimbledon the following month.

The field is headed by world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who has been drawn with Greece's Maria Sakkari, Poland's Iga Swiatek and Paula Badosa of Spain.

Krejčíková and Pliskova are in the second group alongside Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain and Estonia's Anett Kontaveit.

The top two from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

Six of the Europe-dominated list of entrants are set to participate at the WTA Finals for the first time.

The fate of the event had been uncertain after the WTA called off its competitions in Asia, except for the Finals, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China's strict COVID-19 travel restrictions have forced the cancellation of dozens of sporting events as the country's capital Beijing prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Finals had been the only event in Asia kept on the calendar by the WTA before the governing body announced the move to Guadalajara.