ST PETERSBURG, FL, – The WTA announced today that Aryna Sabalenka has secured her spot as the first qualifier for the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh, presented by PIF, following an exceptional first half of the season.
The 27-year-old has been a prominent performer on the Hologic WTA Tour this year, securing three titles from seven finals, recording over 45 match wins, and accumulating more than 6,500 points on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard.
“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,” said Sabalenka. “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’s outstanding performance has resulted in her being crowned champion at the WTA 1000 events at the Miami Open presented by Itaú and the Mutua Madrid Open. She also achieved victory at the WTA 500 Brisbane International presented by Evie. Additionally, she reached the finals at the WTA 1000 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the Australian Open, and Roland-Garros. Most recently, she secured her spot in Riyadh by winning her quarterfinal match at Wimbledon earlier today.
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Sabalenka will be participating in the WTA Finals for the fifth consecutive year, competing at the King Saud University Indoor Arena this November. Her most notable performance to date was in 2022 when she finished as the runner-up, along with semifinal appearances in both 2023 and 2024.
Last year, the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF made history as the inaugural major women’s sporting event hosted in Saudi Arabia. Singles champion Coco Gauff received a record-breaking $4.8 million in prize money, the highest-ever payout in women’s sports. The event contributed to a total prize pool of $15.25 million, which was distributed among the top eight singles players and doubles teams globally.
The event showcased the increasing international popularity of tennis, attracting a total broadcast audience of 77.9 million, representing a 160% year-over-year increase. Additionally, press coverage contributed to a total earned media value of $1.2 billion.
Off the court, the WTA collaborated closely with the Saudi Tennis Federation to develop programs for emerging tennis players, community and grassroots tennis initiatives, and workforce training.
WTA Contributed to this column
Photo/MiamiOpen
