Sabalenka becomes first to qualify for WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF

Aryna Sabalenka becomes the first player to qualify for this year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, marking her fifth consecutive appearance.

PIF WTA World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is set to make her fifth consecutive appearance at the prestigious season-ending tournament

Runner-up at the 2022 WTA Finals, Sabalenka has reached seven singles finals in 2025 winning three titles

WTA broke new ground in 2024 when the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF became the first major women’s sporting event to be held in Saudi Arabia

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The WTA announced Tuesday that Aryna Sabalenka has become the first player to qualify for the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF following an outstanding first half of the season.

The 27-year-old has been the standout player on the Hologic WTA Tour this year, having won three titles from seven finals, winning over 45 matches and amassing over 6,500 points on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard.

Sabalenka’s campaign has seen her crowned champion at WTA 1000 events at the Miami Open presented by Itaú and the Mutua Madrid Open, in addition to triumphing at the WTA 500 Brisbane International presented by Evie. She also reached the final at the WTA 1000 BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart), the Australian Open and Roland Garros and secured her place in Riyadh by winning her quarterfinal match at Wimbledon.

“It’s my goal every year to qualify for the WTA Finals and being the first player to do so this season is such a special moment for me and my team,” Sabalenka said. “Competing in Riyadh was such a great experience, and I can’t wait to return in November and battle to lift the Billie Jean King Trophy.”

Sabalenka will be appearing at the WTA Finals for the fifth consecutive year when she steps out on court at the King Saud University Indoor Arena this November, with her best result at the WTA Finals coming in 2022 when she finished as runner-up, in addition to two semifinal appearances in 2023 and 2024.

Last year the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF broke new ground as the first major women’s sporting event to be held in Saudi Arabia, which saw singles champion Coco Gauff take home a record $4.8 million, the highest-ever prize money purse awarded in women’s sport. This formed part of a wider $15.25 million in total prize money distributed amongst the best eight singles players and doubles teams in the world.

The event demonstrated the growing global appeal of tennis, with a cumulative broadcast audience of 77.9 million, a 160% year-on-year increase, and $1.2 billion in total earned media value generated by press coverage.

Off the court, the WTA worked closely with the Saudi Tennis Federation to support its ambition to inspire one million people into tennis by 2030 by delivering programs for upcoming tennis players, community and grassroot tennis sessions and workforce training.

WTA Finals Tournament Director Garbiñe Muguruza said: “Congratulations to Aryna on her qualification, especially so early in the year. She is an incredible player enjoying great form, and I am sure she will be determined to carry that forward to Riyadh. Personally, I’m really excited to go back to Saudi Arabia in 2025. We delivered a world-class event in 2024 where the top players in the world could shine, with wonderful facilities, support and hospitality. We were very proud of the event and look forward to continue to showcase our players on the ultimate stage.”

WTA CEO Portia Archer added: “Aryna’s winning mindset, spirited personality and star quality shine through every time she steps on court attracting fans and interest far beyond the tennis court. We are fortunate to have such inspiring athletes to support and grow the game of tennis around the globe, especially in new regions. We had a very positive start to our tenure in Saudi Arabia last year and I look forward to 2025 as we continue our ambitions to grow the game and engage more deeply with new fans as well as our partners at the Saudi Tennis Federation. This year we want to reach and inspire even more people to experience tennis for themselves and enjoy the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle.”

The 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF takes place from November 1-8, 2025 and features the top 8 singles players and doubles teams on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard (with the 8th spot going to the singles player and doubles team that have won a Grand Slam if ranked No.8 to No.20). Players and teams compete in a round-robin format with the singles champion lifting the WTA Finals Billie Jean King Trophy and the doubles champions earning the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy.

Click here to see the full PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard in singles and doubles.

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