WTA Finals 2025: Elena Rybakina ends the season on a high
Was the writing on the wall? Rybakina won the pre-match ceremonial coin toss by choosing the “trophy” side of the flipped coin, as noted by WTA TV commentator Kevin Skinder.
She would elect to serve and hold to open the championship match – an omen that turned out to be golden.
Rybakina hit the ball well from the gate and gained her first advantage with a break from Sabalenka’s serve to take a 4-2 lead. She won the first set in 45 minutes 6-3 thanks to a backhand from Sabalenka in the net.
Neither player wilted on serve in set two, although Sabalenka fought back from a 15-40 deficit that looked fatal at 4-all. She would have two set points in the next match, Rybakina knocked them away at 4-5 and the two eventually reached a tiebreak.
That’s where Sabalenka has shone brightest in the recent past, having won – at one point in the 2025 season – 19 straight tiebreaks. But she couldn’t perform her best in this one, with Rybakina maintaining her level across the finish.
Another return error – this one was a forehand long – meant the end for Sabalenka in one hour and 47 minutes.
The statistics did not lie for Rybakina: 36 winners hit to just 12 for Sabalenka, including 13 aces for the Kazakh on 73 percent of first serve points won. She also claimed 10 of the 12 points on net and – as mentioned – was not broken on serve all day.
Rybakina was never one to show too much emotion. She simply clenched her fist and smiled happily as she claimed the title, which certainly put her name on the shortlist of potential 2026 Grand Slam champions.
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