Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens lifted the Martina Navratilova trophy at the WTA Finals Riyadh on Saturday after beating Timea Babos & Luisa Stefani 7-6(4) 6-1 in an hour and 36 minutes at the King Saud University Indoor Arena in Saudi Arabia.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful moments. Unfortunately it looks like we won’t continue, but not because we don’t match. That’s because I don’t think I will play a full season next year. So… I don’t know if it’s good or bad to finish without a trophy, but I’ve already collected three, so I’m very happy to get another final here.
It was their second WTA Finals doubles title together, having also won the season-ending championships in Fort Worth in 2022, before parting ways and not playing together again until April this year, when they reunited to pick up where they left off, reaching the final at back-to-back WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome in their first two tournaments.
It kicked off a run to the WTA Finals where, despite a late start to the season, they secured the number 4 position compared to the other seven teams in Riyadh.
After eliminating top-seeded Italian duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in their final group match, Kudermetova and Mertens defeated No. 2 seeds, Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the US, in the semifinals.
Siniakova is the world number 1 in the year-end doubles, was second in the titlist last year and, along with Townsend, was favorite for the title.
However, Kudermetova & Mertens had lost their opening match in the Martina Navratilova Group against Latvian Hsieh Su-Wei & Jelena Ostapenko from Taipei 6-1 5-7 [5-10]but then won three games in a row, beating American Asia Muhammad & Demi Schuurs from the Netherlands 6-4 6-7 (6) [10-6]before upsetting Errani & Paolini, 6-3 6-3.
In the Last 4, Kudermetova & Mertens, second in their group, pulled off another stunning upset by beating Liezel Huber Group winners Siniakova & Townsend 4-6 7-6(6) [10-6].
© Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for WTA
In the final they faced three-time WTA Finals doubles champion Timea Babos of Hungary and her Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani, the runner-up of the Huber Group.
The two pairs had already met once this season, in the first round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where Kudermetova & Mertens cruised to a 6-4 6-2 victory to kick-start their run to the final in Rome.
In the championship match in Riyadh, Kudermetova & Mertens struck first with a break to love for a 2–1 lead, and while Babos & Stefani rallied from 4–4 down and saved three set points while trailing at 6–5 to force a tiebreak, the eventual champions had the upper hand in the breaker, leading 7/4.
After a set-up, they then dominated the second, winning 3 games in a row and 19 of 23 points to build a 3-0 lead, and after Babos & Stefani held at 3-1, Kudermetova & Mertens closed the match by winning 3 games on the trot.
An emotional Timea Babos broke down in tears and announced that she and Luisa Stefani would not continue their partnership next year as she is unlikely to play a full season.
© Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for WTA
It was a bitter disappointment for Babos & Stefani, and during the trophy presentation, the 32-year-old Hungarian announced that her collaboration with Stefani would not continue, later apologizing for the long talk after a three-minute monologue.
‘I have to start with you [Luisa]. What a season we have had,” said the former doubles world number 1 in an emotional speech. “We came together by accident, I don’t know if you know that. She called me when I was home and asked if I wanted to play a tournament with her in Linz. I was having dinner at home and I thought, ‘Who is this person calling?’, because we had never spoken before.
“We weren’t going to participate because of our rankings, so I went the next day and we ended up winning the tournament. This is how our story started and what result we had. I am very grateful to you, and for everything we achieved and did together.”
“We know best, just like our families and our teams, what we’ve been through. Thank you so much for sharing these great moments. Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t continue, but not because we don’t match. It’s because I don’t think I’ll play a full season next year. So…”
At that point, Stefani stepped in to comfort her partner as Babos burst into tears and struggled to speak.
After compiling herself, Babos added, “She [Stefani] said, “How does it feel to say it out loud?” Well, I’m crying a little, so…
“I don’t know if it’s good or bad to finish without a trophy, but I’ve already collected three, so I’m very happy to get another final here. I want to thank everyone who made this tournament possible.”
“Here it was really something new. You guys are treating us really nice, so thank you very much. Like Lu said, we really enjoyed our time here. Thank you to the audience. We won your hearts a little bit with our spiritedness and everything, so I hope you enjoyed your time here, and keep supporting women’s tennis, because it’s great.”
Addressing Kudermetova and Mertens, Babos said: “Girls, what a season you have had, well done. We have played against each other many times. I think you will continue to play, so good luck to you and your team.”
She then broke down in tears again as she added, “And lastly, of course, my family there… and everyone who helped me be here. I’ve had a really tough few years and to be back here in the finals of the Finals is just amazing. Thanks to my mom, my dad, my fiancé and my family back home. And Lu’s family, we had an incredible time together.”
“I’m sorry for taking so long to talk, but it might be my last speech, so I’m just enjoying it! Thanks again guys.”
While it remains to be seen what this means for Babos’ future, whether she returns for a partial roster next season or ultimately retires, she ends her full-time career with the resume of a legend.
The Hungarian, a four-time Grand Slam doubles champion, has won 29 doubles titles, three WTA Finals trophies, which rank fifth all-time, two WTA 1000 titles and three singles titles, while being a Grand Slam doubles finalist eight times in total, with two additional mixed doubles finals.
Stefani, meanwhile, completed her career-best season with four titles alongside Babos in six finals.
Doubles champions Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens pose with tournament director Garbiñe Muguruza, and runners-up Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani, and their trophies during the trophy ceremony on Saturday
© Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for WTA
The honor of the day naturally fell to Kudermetova & Mertens, the 22nd and 23rd players to have lifted the trophy several times.
“Thanks to my partner Elise,” Kudermetova said during the trophy presentation. “I’m so happy that we’re on one side together. I hope we can keep playing like this. I also want to thank our team. Sometimes they help us, sometimes they don’t, but they’re always here with us, so thank you.”
Mertens echoed her sentiments, saying: “It was a great atmosphere. Not only today, but during the whole week, the last two weeks, it was great to be here again, and especially with Veronika by my side this year. I’m very happy with that, so thank you, and thank you also to everyone who made this tournament possible.”
“Today we really wanted to win, and we went for it. We are very happy and hope to be back next year.”
Kudermetova & Mertens usually play their best tennis on the biggest stages and in addition to their 2nd Martina Navratilova Trophy together, won Wimbledon earlier this year, while they have a total of five titles together, including Istanbul in 2021 and Dubai in 2022.
A former world number 1, Mertens has won 23 WTA doubles titles and reached 37 finals in her career.
The Belgian’s CV includes five Grand Slam titles, seven WTA 1000s titles and two WTA Finals trophies, and she also owns ten singles titles, two of which came this season.
Kudermetova, a former world number 2, claimed her milestone 10th doubles title with victory in Riyadh, while her career includes three WTA 1000s, one WTA Elite Trophy and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon in 2021, along with her two WTA Finals trophies and the Wimbledon title, plus she also has two singles titles.
Sergei Demekhine, Veronika Kudermetova, Elise Mertens, Chris Heyman and their families pose for a photo with the Martina Navratilova Trophy during the trophy ceremony after their win against Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani on Day 8 of the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh
© Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for WTA
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