Top Women Tennis Players Gear Up for 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh

The 2025 WTA Finals will showcase the top eight women tennis players in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 1 to 8, 2025. This prestigious event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. Competing in both singles and doubles formats, the tournament operates on a round-robin basis, with players divided into two groups. The top two from each group will advance to the semi-finals, culminating in a knockout final.

This year’s roster features elite athletes, including Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, and Jasmine Paolini. The inclusion of these players reflects a competitive season, marked by remarkable performances.

Aryna Sabalenka was the first to secure her position for the finals on July 7, 2025, after defeating Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. As the No. 1 seed, she enters the tournament with the highest number of titles and match wins this season. Following her lead, Iga Swiatek confirmed her qualification in August, reaching the final of the Cincinnati Open. This marks her fifth consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals, where she emerged victorious in 2023.

A strong contingent from the United States follows, with Gauff, Anisimova, Pegula, and Keys securing their spots. At just 21 years old, Gauff achieved her fourth consecutive qualification after a strong performance at the China Open. Anisimova will make her WTA Finals debut, while Keys returns for the first time since 2016, following an impressive season that included a Grand Slam victory.

Pegula completed the American lineup in October, marking the first occasion since 2003 that four American players qualified. That year, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and Jennifer Capriati made history, although only Capriati competed. Pegula, who finished as the runner-up at the 2023 finals and has claimed titles on all surfaces this year, aims to add to her success in Riyadh.

The Italian player Jasmine Paolini also qualified, having delivered an outstanding season. This will be her second consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals, where she will compete in singles and doubles alongside Sara Errani. Lastly, Elena Rybakina secured the final spot in the tournament, continuing her streak of qualifying for the WTA Finals in four consecutive years.

The defending champion, Coco Gauff, clinched her first WTA Finals title in 2024 in a thrilling match against Olympic Champion Quinwen Zheng. Gauff’s remarkable resilience saw her fight back from the brink of defeat, ultimately winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). This victory established her as the youngest player to win the WTA Finals, demonstrating her capacity to perform under pressure.

The 2025 WTA Finals will feature eight players in a round-robin format divided into two groups. Over the initial six days, each player will compete against the others in her group, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. The group placements will be announced closer to the tournament.

Riyadh will host the WTA Finals for a three-year term, encompassing the 2024, 2025, and 2026 tournaments. The women’s professional tennis tour has announced a significant increase in prize money for this year’s event, raising it to $15.25 million (£12 million), a 70% increase from 2023.

In previous years, the WTA Finals were held in various cities, including Cancun (2023), Fort Worth (2022), and Guadalajara (2021). The upcoming tournament in Riyadh promises to be a highlight in the tennis calendar, featuring the world’s best female players competing for prestigious honors.