Rybakina Makes History at WTA Finals Riyadh 2025
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Riyadh went out with a blast, marking the end of one of the most competitive and talked-about tennis seasons in recent memory. From November 1 to 8, the world’s top eight women’s singles players and doubles teams battled under the bright lights and electric atmosphere of the King Saud University (KSU) Arena as the world watched. In the end, it was absolute vindication for Elena Rybakina, winning her eleventh (!!) straight match, and causing her opposite – world number one Aryna Sabalenka – to remark, “You literally smashed me out of the court.” Rybakina took home the coveted Billie Jean King trophy and a cool $5.23 million (£3.97m/€4.52m) prize, while on the doubles side, Veronika Kudermetova and Belgian Elise Mertens lifted the Martina Navratilova trophy and split the $1.07 million (£813.1k/€924.8k) prize, their second time in just four years.
What it’s about
The WTA Finals are the ultimate year-end showdown for women’s tennis, with eight singles players and eight doubles teams qualifying based on their performance throughout the season. The women face off in a round-robin format, meaning every player or team plays against every other player or team in their group. Unlike bracket-style tournaments, no one gets eliminated early, and everyone gets consistent playtime. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals and, ultimately, the title match that the world waits to see.
Each round-robin victory brings 200 ranking points, with another 400 for a semifinal win and 500 for the final, meaning an undefeated champion can collect a massive 1,500 points. On top of that, this year’s total prize numbers hit record levels, continuing the WTA’s moves toward equal pay and global visibility for women’s tennis. That’s all to say that winning here means you’ve not only capped off a great season, you’re also now the player to beat.
Love at first love
From day one, every group-stage matchup felt like it had finals energy, with long rallies, power battles, and the single-minded skill and toughness that really shines at the end of a season. In singles, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, and Jasmine Paolini made up one of the most interesting lineups in recent memory. No easy matches, no predictable outcomes.
By the time we reached semifinals on November 7, last year’s champ Coco Gauff had already been knocked out of contention by the one-woman powerhouse that is Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian cruised past another U.S. player, Amanda Anisimova, to set up a final showdown with Elena Rybakina. The sixth-ranked Kazakh player extended her ten-game winning streak, beating American Jessica Pegula for a spot in the final against the top-ranked Sabalenka. While Rybakina was favored to win after a stellar season, it was still a breathtaking display to see her blow past Sabalenka in the final, winning 6-3, 7-6(0).
In an upset on the doubles side, the top-ranking pair, Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend, lost to Russian Veronika Kudermetova and Belgian Elise Mertens. The duo went on to face Hungarian Timea Babos and her Brazilian doubles partner Luisa Stefani. Kudermetova and Mertens revived the spirit that won them the 2022 WTA Finals and took it home decisively, beating Babos and Stefani 7-6(4), 6-1.
What comes next
Riyadh’s second turn as host cemented Saudi Arabia’s growing role in the global sports conversation. The partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association helped bring one of tennis’s most prestigious tournaments to a new audience for the second-year running, spotlighting women’s sport in a Kingdom where both uplifting female excellence and playing sports, a way of life is front and center.
After a heart-stopping Six Kings Slam last month and crowning a new queen at these WTA Finals 2025, the tennis calendar returns to Saudi next month for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, where the world’s top 20-and-under men’s singles players will play. And no big deal or anything, but Riyadh is now the first new ATP Masters 1000 host city since 1990 – officially joining the ranks of Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto, Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris in 2028. Riyadh beat bids from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Australia for hosting rights, so stay tuned for where this all-new tournament will fit on the ATP calendar.
