2025 was a memorable yr for the WTA Tour after a charming season crammed with dominant superstars, the rise of rising younger gamers, and a few shocking winners.
Nevertheless it’s not over but.
Whereas many gamers have already headed to the seashore for some well-deserved (and all-too-brief) relaxation and leisure, the perfect of the perfect stay in motion, with their eyes firmly set on profitable the final title of the yr on the WTA Finals.
The (considerably controversial) event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, begins Saturday with a round-robin event that includes the highest eight singles gamers and eight doubles groups, with a complete prize pool of $15.5 million.
After six days, every participant or duo performs three matches and the highest two from every group advance to the semi-finals. The occasion concludes on November eighth, with the singles winner receiving as much as $5,235,000 in prize cash and the doubles winner receiving as much as $1,139,000 and as much as 1,500 rating factors. (The profitable participant or workforce earns the utmost prize cash and factors by profitable all three of their group matches. If they don’t seem to be undefeated, they earn much less cash for each.)
Undecided what to anticipate from the ultimate WTA event of the yr? This is all the things you should know.
who’s in it
single
Stephanie Graf Group
1. Arina Sabalenka
3. Coco Gauff
5. Jessica Pegula
7. Jasmine Paolini
serena williams group
2.. Iga Swiatek
4. Amanda Anisimova
6. Madison Keys
8. Elena Rybakina
doubles
Martina Navratilova Group
1. Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini
4. Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens
6. Sue Week and Elena Ostainko
8. Asia Muhammad and Demi Schulls
Liesel Huber Group
2. Katerina Sinakova and Taylor Townsend
3. Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliff
5. Mila Andreeva and Diana Schneider
7. Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani
Gauff appears to repeat
It has been a season stuffed with ups and downs for Gauff, the top-ranked American and No. 3 on the earth. The 21-year-old received her second main singles title at Roland Garros, however she additionally had a disastrous interval of poor kind, as she struggled along with her serve and adjusted teaching groups simply earlier than the US Open.
Gauff returned to Riyadh because the defending champion and seems to have rediscovered her kind and confidence on the proper time. After a troublesome summer time hardcourt season that included a fourth-round loss in New York, Gauff spent a number of weeks coaching at her house in Florida earlier than heading to China. She later confessed that she thought-about skipping Asian swing altogether, however her exhausting work and persistence paid off. Gauff reached the semifinals of the China Open and received the title earlier this month in Wuhan, defeating Paolini within the semifinals and Pegula within the remaining. She did not drop a single set on her strategy to the 1000 degree trophy.
After the win in Wuhan, Gauff stated: “The expertise I had in the midst of the season, particularly in New York, undoubtedly provides me extra confidence going into the WTA Finals.”
“It provides me a variety of confidence to attempt to defend that title. In fact, I received final yr so I understand how troublesome it’s, so I’ll work exhausting each match and hope I can get the trophy on the finish.”
Gauff is actually one of many favorites to win the title, however attaining that will not be simple. In reality, no participant has efficiently defended their title at a year-end occasion since Serena Williams did it in 2013 and 2014.
American benefit
People account for half of Saudi Arabia’s singles spots, with Anisimova, Pegula and Keys additionally qualifying. Will probably be the most important variety of People to attend the distinguished occasion since 2003, simply months earlier than Gauff was born. (And with Serena, Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport all absent on account of damage that yr, that is anticipated to be the most important American delegation to really compete since 2002, when 16 gamers have been on the sphere.)
Anisimova, presently ranked a career-high No. 4, will make her debut on the event after profitable 1000-level titles on the Qatar Open and China Open, in addition to reaching her first main remaining at Wimbledon, adopted by her remaining look on the US Open.
Pegula is coming off a robust second half of the yr, qualifying for a fourth straight season, reaching the semifinals on the U.S. Open and China Open, and reaching the ultimate in Wuhan. She was a 2023 finalist for the year-end championship.
And Keys, who received his first main title of the yr on the Australian Open, can be returning to the event for the primary time since 2016. The 30-year-old hasn’t performed since a surprising first-round exit on the US Open in August and hasn’t reached a remaining since his win in Melbourne, however Keys needs to be well-rested and there is most likely no participant higher geared up to tug off a shock victory.
People additionally typically take part within the doubles draw. This can be Townsend’s second consecutive look since reaching the ultimate in 2024, and Muhammad’s first look on the event. Each have had sturdy seasons, with Townsend profitable the Australian Open with Sinakova and Muhammad profitable Indian Wells and Queen’s Membership with Schuurs.
Battle for No.1
After Swiatek received Wimbledon and misplaced within the quarterfinals on the US Open, it regarded as if she had an opportunity to take again the No. 1 spot from Sabalenka by the top of the yr. When she received the title on the Korean Open in September and Sabalenka retired from competitors, that risk appeared much more doubtless as Swiatek closed the hole to lower than 3,000 factors for the primary time all season. She stated it wasn’t her “predominant focus” heading into the China Open, however did not deny how a lot it meant to her to earn the highest rating.
Nonetheless, after dropping within the spherical of 16 in Beijing and dropping within the quarterfinals in Wuhan (and Sabalenka’s loss within the semifinals in her first event again after profitable the US Open), there was a 1,675 level distinction between the 2, making it mathematically unimaginable for Swiatek to surpass Sabalenka. It doesn’t matter what occurs in Riyadh, Sabalenka will finish the season as No. 1 on the finish of the yr for the second straight season – and has remained on the high all season.
Nonetheless, regardless of all the things already performed, the 27-year-old Sabalenka is aiming for her first WTA Finals crown. This was her fifth consecutive look and she or he reached the ultimate in 2022, however was unable to win the elusive title. No participant has had a extra constant run on the largest tournaments lately – along with profitable in New York, she reached the finals of this yr’s Australian Open and French Open, and reached the semifinals of this yr’s Wimbledon – and she or he could also be hungry for it greater than ever.
However after all, Swiatek, the 2023 champion, additionally needs to finish the season with a bang, and Sabalenka can be on excessive alert heading into 2026.
that is not the way you begin
Gamers like Sabalenka and Swiatek secured their spots in the summertime, whereas Paolini and Rybakina wanted a late surge to seize the ultimate spot.
Paolini has already certified for the doubles draw, incomes his spot after reaching back-to-back semifinals in Beijing and Wuhan. She beforehand received the Italian Open title within the spring and reached the ultimate in Cincinnati. She is the one participant to attain each attracts in Riyadh.
And Rybakina received the title in Ningbo final week and reached the semi-finals of the Japan Open earlier than narrowly defeating Andreeva to clinch the ultimate spot. Rybakina had a lead of greater than 400 factors over Andreva within the Ningbo recreation, however Andreva misplaced the opening spherical of that event and by no means performed once more — and Rybakina took benefit of that. It has been a personally and professionally difficult season for the 2022 Wimbledon champion, however she appears to be peaking on the proper time.
Neither Rybakina nor Paolini can have a lot downtime earlier than the event begins, however each convey helpful momentum, confidence and rhythm. Will or not it’s sufficient to propel both of them to the ultimate title of the yr?
two folks alone
Dabrowski and Routliff are the defending doubles champions and arrived in Saudi Arabia having received the final main event of the yr, the U.S. Open. Like Gauff, they are going to be aiming to regain the title, however the workforce does not have the identical momentum but. Since then, they’ve solely performed collectively in a single event, the Beijing Video games, the place they have been eradicated within the first spherical. Apart from that, their outcomes weren’t that nice. Routliff, Gauff’s former doubles associate, reached the second spherical towards Leila Fernandez in Wuhan, whereas Dombrowski misplaced within the quarterfinals to Sofia Kenin in Tokyo final week.
As with singles, repeating the title is troublesome and hasn’t occurred since Babos and Kristina Mladenovic did it in 2018 and 2019. Babos beforehand received the title alongside Andrea Hlavatsova in 2017, and can now goal for her fourth title with a 3rd associate, Stefani. The pair reached their fourth remaining of the season in Ningbo earlier this month, turning into one of many final groups to qualify.
However the title could relaxation with the favorites and top-ranked pair of Italian duo Errani and Paolini, and the overwhelming Sinakova and Townsend. Errani and Paolini received the French Open title in June and have received three 1000-level titles this yr, together with this month’s China Open.
Szynakova received the WTA Finals trophy in 2021 together with fellow Czech compatriot Barbora Krejcikova. She and Townsend have received two titles collectively since their victory in Melbourne, together with the 1000-level Dubai and reached the ultimate of the US Open. It is a becoming finish to a breakout yr for Townsend, who first grew to become No. 1 on the earth doubles rankings in July, and has grow to be a fan favourite, reaching the fourth spherical in singles on the U.S. Open, reaching the combined doubles remaining at Roland Garros and profitable 4 titles in six remaining appearances.
