From Centre Court chaos to Riyadh calm: World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka qualifies for WTA Finals

Dubai: Aryna Sabalenka was staring at a quarter-final exit in London on Centre Court, but the world No 1 clawed her way back into the contest and is just one win away from booking her maiden spot in the Wimbledon Championships final. Now she has booked her place in the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh, becoming the first player to seal her spot in the year-end showpiece after a consistent year.

The 27-year-old has been the standout performer on the Hologic WTA Tour this year, claiming three titles from seven finals, racking up over 45 wins, and amassing more than 6,500 points on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard.

Her victories include the WTA 1000 Miami Open and Mutua Madrid Open, as well as the WTA 500 Brisbane International. She also reached the finals at Indian Wells, Stuttgart, the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. Tuesday’s quarter-final win ensured she became the first player to qualify for the season-ending finale in Riyadh.

“It’s my goal every year to qualify for the WTA Finals, and being the first player to do so this season is such a special moment for me and my team,” said Sabalenka. “Competing in Riyadh was such a great experience and I can’t wait to return in November and battle to lift the Billie Jean King Trophy.”

Sabalenka will appear in the WTA Finals for a fifth straight year when she steps onto court at the King Saud University Indoor Arena this November. Her best result so far came in 2022 when she finished as runner-up, along with semi-final finishes in 2023 and 2024.

Last year’s edition made history as the first major women’s sporting event held in Saudi Arabia, with Coco Gauff taking home a record $4.8 million as singles champion. In total, $15.25 million was awarded across the singles and doubles competitions.

The event drew a cumulative broadcast audience of 77.9 million — a 160 per cent year-on-year increase — and generated $1.2 billion in earned media value.

Beyond competition, the WTA collaborated with the Saudi Tennis Federation to deliver grassroots tennis sessions, workforce training, and development programmes for young players.

WTA Finals Tournament Director Garbine Muguruza said: “Congratulations to Aryna on her qualification, especially so early in the year. She is an incredible player enjoying great form and I am sure she will be determined to carry that forward to Riyadh.

“Personally, I’m really excited to go back to Saudi Arabia in 2025. We delivered a world-class event in 2024 where the top players in the world could shine, with wonderful facilities, support and hospitality.”

The 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh will run from November 1—8 and feature the top eight singles players and doubles teams in a round-robin format. The singles winner will lift the Billie Jean King Trophy, while the doubles champions will receive the Martina Navratilova Trophy.

Sabalenka, who has held the No 1 ranking since October, is now just one step away from a breakthrough at Wimbledon — the only Slam where she’s never reached the final.

“She pushed me so much,” Sabalenka said of Siegemund. “After the first set, I was just looking at my box, thinking, ‘Guys, I mean, book the tickets. I think we’re about to leave this beautiful city, country, place.’”

She won’t be leaving just yet. Up next: a semi-final showdown against No 13 seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States on Thursday.