World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka was the first player to qualify for the WTA final 2025 Riyadh, and she is “super excited” to return to Saudi Arabia for the season closing event.
Thanks to another excellent season in which she topped the entire PIF WTA rankings, Sabalenka earned her place by winning four titles, including her second US Open crown, and reaching two more Grand Slam finals. This will mark her fifth consecutive appearance at the prestigious end-of-year tournament.
Although Saudi Arabia’s hosting of WTA events initially sparked debate and criticism, the Belarusian says her own experiences in the Kingdom have been entirely positive.
“I can’t wait to come back,” Sabalenka said ahead of the WTA Finals from November 1 to 8. “I love that place, I love playing there and I hope I can do better this year than last year.”
The 27-year-old, who reached the semi-finals in Riyadh last year, can’t wait to explore more of Saudi Arabia’s capital:
“I’m super excited; I have places to go! There was a Japanese restaurant [last year] which was really great. I love my stay at the hotel, I really enjoyed my time there and I look forward to coming back.”
When asked about her highlights from 2024, Sabalenka admitted that her favorite moments came off the field: “Shopping was cool, also visiting our friend’s restaurant was really great, the food was great. I didn’t play my best, but my highlights were off the field.”
Saudi Arabia’s growing tennis ambitions
Organizing the WTA Finals in Riyadh is part of the The Saudi Tennis Federation’s broader vision to inspire one million people to play tennis by 2030. Since 2019, the number of registered players has increased by 46%, and in 2024 alone the Federation hosted 77 domestic tournaments, in addition to major international events such as the WTA Finals Riyadh and the ATP Next Gen Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah.
Sabalenka says she is amazed by the country’s rapid development in the sporting field and is proud to contribute to its transformation.
“It’s incredible what they do for sport and bring the biggest sports and the biggest athletes in the world to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is incredible, the project is insane and I’m very grateful to them [to be part of it].
“I’m happy to be that inspiration for the next generation there. I think kids are super excited about sports, and you can feel that in the support they give. It’s incredible to help them build sports there.”
Full line-up for the WTA Finals Riyadh 2025
The full line-up for the WTA Finals Riyadh has now been confirmed. Next to Sabalenka, the prestigious draw for eight players in singles will have:
- Wimbledon champion Iga Swaatek
- Winner of the French Open Coco Gauff
- Amanda Anisimova
- Jessica Pegula
- Jasmine Paolini
- Elena Rybakina
- Australian Open champion Madison Keys
The 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh offer a record-breaking $15.5 million total prize money.
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