WTA Finals Preview: It All Comes Down to This

By Alex Sharp

Every year, women from the upper echelons of tennis vie for glory in over 70 events and four Grand Slams, wielding their racquets across 30 countries and regions, spanning six continents. It’s the ultimate test of endurance.

The most consistent and successful Top 8 singles players and Top 8 doubles teams are rewarded for their endeavors by qualifying for the season-ending WTA Finals.

The 2025 edition will display the very elite of WTA talents from November 1-8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Who will lift up the last prestigious prize?

Rewind to August and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek was in showstopping form to capture the Cincinnati Open title for the first time.

We can still hear the Pole’s screeching trainers – Swiatek’s jaw dropping footwork and shotmaking guiding her to 10/10 possible sets to hold the glorious hand-crafted Rookwood Cup trophy.

In fact, during the 7-5, 6-3 semifinal triumph over Elena Rybakina at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, Swiatek secured her qualification to return to the WTA Finals.

“The Cincinnati tournament was for sure significant for my season – one of the best of 2025,” Swiatek said. “I performed really well and was specifically happy that I was able to execute during the matches things that we practiced a lot. The match against Elena was really good tennis-wise, so yes, I enjoyed this one.

“So far in 2025, I’ve had some solid performances in the tournaments. Of course, winning Wimbledon was a unique experience, and then also Cincinnati and Seoul,” she said.

“Overall, I would assess my season as a journey of growth, where I’ve learned a lot of lessons especially since the end of the last year.”

Before Swiatek jetted off to Riyadh, there was time for a final flashback to her 2025 Cincinnati Open experience. The 24-year-old recalls the jubilant scenes during the coveted walk across the bridge to the Clubhouse as the Queen of Cincy, signing ‘Jellycat’ gifts for her legion of fans to launch into the crowd.

“I loved every hour onsite,” added Swiatek. “I always love to connect with fans who support us during the whole tournament. Playing for the fans, it’s a part of the sport, so to be able to share my joy with them is a great memory.”

Let’s turn attention to the WTA Finals, which Swiatek won without dropping a set in 2023 – a feat last accomplished by a certain Serena Williams in 2012.

“It was a wild tournament. I think we all remember it,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion. “But for me it was an amazing time on and off the court. Also, finishing the year as No. *1 just at the very last moment was super special.

“Qualifying for the WTA Finals shows the course of the season and the quality of work that I put in with my team so for sure it’s always important.”

The WTA Finals draw took place on Tuesday, dividing the eight superstars into two pools of four for the round-robin format. From there the top two advance to the knockout semifinals.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, halted by Rybakina in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals, headlines the star-studded field. In the Stefanie Graf Group, Sabalenka will take on world No. 3 and defending champion Coco Gauff, World No. 5 Jessica Pegula and World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini.

This will be Sabalenka’s fifth consecutive showing at the WTA Finals, hoping to go one step further than a 2022 runner-up spot. It’s been another immense season from the tour-leader, clinching four titles, including a second US Open crown. That was a particularly impressive major triumph, erasing the heartbreak from falling short in both the Australian Open and Roland-Garros finals.

It was Gauff who prevailed 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in that pulsating final in Paris and the clash with Sabalenka will be a key duel in the upcoming Stefanie Graf Group.

“I obviously had a great time last year, so I’m really happy to be back,” Gauff said at the draw ceremony in Saudi Arabia. “This title is one of the hardest to win because the top eight players are playing. It’s going to be a tough three matches ahead.”

Over to the Serena Williams Group, it’s Swiatek pitched alongside world No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, world No. 6 Rybakina and world No. 7 Madison Keys.

Swiatek stormed to Wimbledon glory with an emphatic 6-0, 6-0 scoreboard versus Anisimova, before the American flipped that script 6-4, 6-3 in the US Open quarterfinals.

The world No. 2 holds a favorable 5-2 record over Keys. However, the Australian Open champion saved match point against Swiatek in a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(10-8) Melbourne Park semifinal thriller en route to that maiden major.

Everywhere you turn, there is quality and intrigue brimming in these match ups.

“It is strong. Women’s sport and tennis as well are growing so fast and it’s fascinating. In tennis there is a depth, strength and amazing stories of the players,” Swiatek said.

“I think we challenge ourselves and push each other be the best versions of ourselves, which brings a lot of motivation. I think the field of the WTA Finals shows who had a good season.”

In doubles, top seeds Sara Errani and Paolini landed in the Martina Navratilova Group, with Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens, Su-Wei Hsieh/Jelena Ostapenko and Asia Muhammad/Demi Schuurs as their trio of top-tier opponents.

No. 2 seed Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend spearhead the Lizel Huber Group and will battle with defending champions and 2025 Cincinnati Open titlists Gabriela Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe, Mirra Andreeva/Diana Shnaider and Timea Babos/Luisa Stefani.

The action gets started on Saturday. Time to see who has what it takes to claim the final title of the 2025 season.

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