And then there were two more… Aryna Sabalenka, the 2025 US Open champion and world #1took the 2022 Wimbledon Champion and World #6Elena Rybakina, in the title match at the WTA Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Neither had won the season championship, and for Rybakina a top eight finish was all but assured as the regular season drew to a close. To qualify for Riyadh and replace Miira Andreeva, the twenty-six-year-old Kazakh had to win the title in Ningbo and reach the semi-finals in Tokyo the following week. Against all odds – or perhaps because of them – she overcame those obstacles and reached the championship match in Riyadh undefeated.
Sabalenka, like her opponent, remained undefeated, dropping two sets en route to the final. The top seed from Belarus has lost in the penultimate round in the past two years and reached the final in 2011 2022lost in two tight sets to Caroline Garcia, while Rybakina failed to advance from the round-robin stage in the past two years.
(AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
When Sabalenka defeated Gauff in her final round-robin match, a first-time champion was guaranteed. Along with the trophy, a check for $5.2 million dollars as an undefeated champion was at stake. While Sabalenka led the head-to-head confrontation 8-5they shared the last two this season, both on hard courts. Rybakina won the toss and chose to serve.
The sixth seed held on easily with an ace wide, while the top seed faced two deuces and a break point before staying level. Rybakina hit two more aces and held 30while Sabalenka held the love with an overhead strike.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion faced a break point in the fifth game, but held two consecutive aces 3-2 while Sabalenka made three consecutive unforced errors to dump serve. While they both had pace and depth, Sabalenka often looked flat-footed. Rybakina never looked rushed, even when drawn wide or drawn into the net.
Rybakina faced a double break point but saved them with two excellent groundstroke winners and consolidated the break when Sabalenka missed wide with a backhand down the line. The world #1 served to stay in the set and with new balls. Although she faced two deuce points, she held on with well-placed serves, including her first ace. Rybakina made 5/6 first serve and, with two fantastic forehand winners, secured the set 6-3. Sabalenka left the playing field after the opening set. She served first in the second and kept it up 30 with a huge forehand on the court. Rybakina upped the ante and hit three aces to level love.
Sabalenka missed 4/8 first serve, faced with double break point and deuce, but held when her opponent scored the return. Rybakina missed 3/4 serves first but holds love with two remarkable forehands – one crosscourt, the other inside-in as Sabalenka holds 30 with an ace wide.
Rybakina hit three straight winners, including her 9the ace, to get to three. The top seed leaves 40-15 but had to deal with deuc before he stuck 4-3 when she crushed a forehand on the cross court. Rybakina, serving with new balls, committed her first double fault, but three consecutive winners, including another ace, took her to four.
Sabalenka felt the pressure and embraced it, digging deep to escape two deuce and a double break point with two consecutive colossal serves, including an ace off the tee.
Rybakina opened the tenth with her second double fault and struggled to find a first serve. She conceded two deuces and a double set point, but held firm when Sabalenka made three unusual and costly mistakes.
Sabalenka hid the disappointment and took advantage of the opportunity, ripping three straight winners, including two aces, for a love hold to lead 6-5! Serving to stay in the set and force the breaker, Rybakina responded in kind with three consecutive winners, including two additional aces.
Sabalenka, known for her exceptional tiebreak record including 18-9 career against top ten opponents, committing six unforced errors and conceding the match after Rybakina’s 13the ace.
It was a remarkable achievement from an athlete who qualified a week before the start of the competition. She played with poise and without fear. Throughout the match, she kept her foot on the gas pedal and never let her opponent gain momentum and confidence.
She ended with 13 aces, 2 double faults and won 72% of the first and whopping 73% second service points. She saved 5/5 breakpoints during conversion 1/6. On her return she was equally dominant, winning an impressive one 35% of first and 48% of the return on the second service.
Although Sabalenka will regret her inability to convert a break point (0/5), she will end the season as world champion1 for the second consecutive year. Even though there is only a semblance of an offseason, I’m looking forward to it 2026 as the WTA Tour shines a light on the best of a new generation and challenges the elite at the top.
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