(MENAFN- bursonglobal) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 08 November 2025: A packed crowd at the King Saud University Indoor Arena were treated to a dazzling spectacle as Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka to be crowned champion at the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF.
In a showdown between two of the most explosive players on the WTA Tour, the final in Riyadh promised fireworks – and it certainly delivered. Sabalenka and Rybakina traded blows from the baseline throughout, using their huge serves and powerful groundstrokes to produce a spectacular display.
A match of fine margins was separated by a single break of serve and a tiebreak as the flawless Rybakina sealed a 6-3 7-6 (7-0) victory to clinch the biggest title of her season. The Kazakh sixth seed also secured the maximum prize money – the largest cheque in women’s tennis – and the maximum 1,500 PIF WTA Ranking points.
It represents a remarkable conclusion to the season for Rybakina, who was the last player to qualify and needed a late-season surge during the Asian swing to punch her ticket. Winning the title is a vast improvement on her past WTA Finals record having never progressed from the group stage in her previous two appearances.
Rybakina also made history as the first player representing Kazakhstan – or any Asian nation – to win the WTA Finals.
Rybakina, 26, said: “It feels amazing to lift the trophy and it was an incredible atmosphere. I really enjoyed my time last year here, and again this year too. We get really nice treatment, and again, the fans are great. So, it’s amazing to lift this trophy here and hopefully I can come back next year.”
Despite the defeat in the final, top seed Sabalenka was focusing on the positives following another successful season that included a fourth major title – at the US Open – and ending the year with the WTA Year-End No.1 Ranking presented by PIF.
Sabalenka, 27, said: “She played incredible. I feel like I did my best today. It didn’t work, but I think there are so many things I can be proud of. I’m leaving this tournament without any disappointment, feeling proud of myself and the things I’ve been able to achieve.”
Before the two superstars stepped on court to contest the singles trophy, the doubles final set the stage for a thrilling day in Riyadh.
And it was fourth seeded pair Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens who claimed the victory by defeating seventh seeds Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 for their second WTA Finals doubles title.
Adwa AlArifi, Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs at Ministry of Sport, presented the winners’ trophies to Kudermetova and Mertens, and to the 2025 singles’ champion, Rybakina.
Mertens, 29, said: “Every title is a little different, but we did so well throughout the whole year, so I'm very happy that we could continue. After winning the Wimbledon title, we wanted to play the Finals together again. We only paired up mid-season, but our level and consistency were there.”
An unforgettable finals day concluded the second edition of the WTA Finals Riyadh – part of a three-year partnership between the WTA and Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).
The 2024 debut made history as the first ever professional women’s tennis tournament to be staged in Saudi Arabia, and as the chapter closes on Year Two, the progress of tennis in the Kingdom continues to gather pace.
The STF outlined ambitions to inspire more people to play, watch, and get involved with tennis, with high-profile events like the WTA Finals part of the wider strategy.
That ambition is already translating into tangible progress throughout Saudi Arabia’s tennis ecosystem, with female participation increasing by 24% since the WTA Finals debuted in Riyadh 12 months ago.
Meanwhile, community initiatives like the ‘Tennis for All’ program, in collaboration with ‘Sports for All’, has introduced the sport to more than 53,000 children in 2025 alone. There has also been tremendous progress at the elite level, too; Saudi Arabia now has 79 players who hold international rankings, while the women’s national team has been competing in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2023.
From packed arenas and passionate fans to young players picking up a racquet for the first time, the journey of tennis in the Kingdom is only just beginning. All roads now lead to Riyadh 2026, where the world’s finest players will once again converge to crown the season’s ultimate champions.
Results – Saturday 8 November, Day 8 of 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF:
Singles:
Elena Rybakina [Seeded 6] defeated Aryna Sabalenka [1] 6-3 7-6 (7-0)
Doubles:
Veronika Kudermetova & Elise Mertens [4] def. Timea Babos & Luisa Stefani 7-6 (7-4), 6-1

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