Aryna Sabalenka has solidified her place in the WTA Finals semi-finals after defeating Jasmine Paolini in a hard-fought match that ended with a score of 6-3, 7-5. With this win, Sabalenka, the top seed, eliminated fellow competitor Elena Rybakina from contention in the tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sabalenka’s dominant performance on the court has not only brought her closer to a maiden WTA Finals title but also to clinching the year-end world number one ranking. She will face Rybakina in her final Purple Group match on Wednesday, where a victory would secure her the top spot in 2025, holding off Iga Swiatek’s potential challenge.
Semi-Finals Secured: Sabalenka’s Path to Victory
Sabalenka started strong, breaking Paolini’s serve early in the match and keeping up the pressure throughout. Although Paolini fought back to reclaim one of the breaks, she struggled to counter Sabalenka’s powerful baseline shots. The second set was a closer contest, with Paolini managing to push the score to 5-4 and creating two set points. Sabalenka, however, maintained her composure, saving the set points and breaking Paolini’s serve to close out the match.
“The second set was tricky,” Sabalenka admitted. “I stayed aggressive to show her I’d fight for every point.” Her persistence paid off, bringing her a step closer to winning her first WTA Finals title and achieving the number-one ranking for 2025.
Rybakina’s Early Exit from the WTA Finals
Earlier in the tournament, Elena Rybakina faced Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and suffered a challenging defeat with scores of 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-1. Rybakina, who hadn’t competed in the last two months due to illness and injury, showed resilience but ultimately fell short. Zheng, after losing her first two matches against Rybakina in previous tournaments, celebrated her first win over the Kazakh player, eliminating Rybakina from the competition.
Zheng’s performance against Rybakina exemplified her growth, as she played a well-rounded game to secure a place in the semi-finals. She’ll face Paolini on Wednesday to determine who advances alongside Sabalenka.
WTA Finals Move to Saudi Arabia
This year marks the first time the WTA Finals are being held in Saudi Arabia, a decision that has drawn some criticism due to the country’s human rights record. However, with a record prize purse of approximately £4 million for the singles champion, the event remains highly competitive.
Additional Information for Readers
For the latest updates on the WTA Finals and detailed match analysis, you can follow the tournament coverage on the BBC website. For insights into the broader sports landscape in Eurasia, visit our internal sports news page.
