Garbine Muguruza reached the semi-finals of the WTA Elite Trophy after saving three match points in her showdown with Anastasija Sevastova, while Australia's Ashleigh Barty and Madison Keys also qualified for the last four.
Barty advanced for the second consecutive year courtesy of a straight-sets triumph for Caroline Garcia over Aryna Sabalenka, which was not enough to see Garcia through.
Garcia could only progress by losing fewer than seven games, so a 6-4 6-4 Orchid Group victory was in vain, sending the Australian, who had all-but conceded her season was over on Thursday, through to the final four.
Barty's 6-3 6-4 victory over Garcia earlier in the tournament proved crucial as the World No.19 finished with a games differential of 20-19 to scrape in ahead of Sabalenka, who finished all square at 20-20 after the round robin stage despite defeating the Aussie in the tournament opener.
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Muguruza was on the brink of elimination in Zhuhai on Friday, but the two-time grand slam champion fought back to win 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-1).
Sevastova was twice a break up in the final set, yet the battling seventh seed rallied in a decisive match to prolong her season.
Second seed Sevastova had treatment on her back after losing the second set and did not appear to be troubled as she moved into a 2-0 lead, then broke again to go 5-4 up.
Muguruza refused to be beaten, though - the Spaniard preventing Sevastova from serving out the match and bossing the tie-break to win the Camellia Group.
Meanwhile, Wang Qiang defeated Keys 1-6 6-3 6-1 in the final round-robin match, but it is the American who qualifies from the Azalea Group to join Muguruza, Barty and Julia Goerges in the last four.