Elena Rybakina claimed her first-ever season-ending WTA Finals title in Riyadh, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) in the final. With the victory she became the first player representing Kazakhstan — and indeed the first from Asia — to lift the WTA Finals trophy.
Over the tournament she remained unbeaten, winning all five matches including in the group stage, semifinal and final. Her straight-sets win in the final rounded off a week in which she displayed ruthless serving (eight aces in the final, 13 in that match alone) and clinical baseline aggression. The prize money awarded — US $5.235 million — is the largest ever for a women’s sports event, underscoring the commercial growth of women’s tennis.
Rybakina’s resurgence comes after a challenging 2025 marked by coaching disruptions and questions around form. Her coach, Stefano Vukov, had earlier faced a suspension and her momentum had wobbled. By reclaiming top-level form when it mattered most, she sent a message to the tennis world: she remains among the elite.
Sabalenka, scorer of a landmark season and new record-holder for most prize money earned in a single year on the WTA Tour, remains a formidable force — but her inability to convert dominance into a Finals title adds a new twist to the rivalry. The flawless tiebreak (7-0) in the second set of the final underlined Rybakina’s mental strength under pressure.
The broader implications are significant. The Riyadh event signals the WTA’s aggressive push into new markets, and Rybakina’s triumph in that context amplifies the shift in power structures in women’s tennis. Meanwhile, the controversy around off-court issues — such as her earlier coach suspension and tense relationship with the tour — added a narrative of redemption to the title. She now finishes the season ranked No. 5, with momentum heading into 2026.
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