In a week of sensational tennis and seismic momentum twists, Elena Rybakina emerged as the final victor at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6–3, 7–6 (7–0) in the singles final to claim her maiden year-end championship title.
Rybakina entered the year-end event as the final qualifier and proceeded to go undefeated through her five matches, culminating in a dominant performance over Sabalenka. Her win earned her 1,500 ranking points, lifted her world ranking and rewarded her with the largest single-tournament prize in women’s sport: US$5.235 million.
A season of challenge becomes a week of breakthrough
The 2025 season for Rybakina had its share of turbulence. Coaching uncertainties, inconsistent Grand Slam performances (she did not reach a major quarter-final this year) and doubts over her form all followed her into the autumn. Yet, as the tour turned to Riyadh, she found something rare: clarity, confidence and an unbeatable streak. Her performance throughout was marked by aggressive serving, clean ball striking and mental fortitude under pressure. She described the run as one of surprise and delight:
“It’s been an incredible week, I honestly didn’t expect any result… to go so far, I mean it’s just incredible.”
In the final against Sabalenka, Rybakina marshalled her tools perfectly. She hit 13 aces, was never broken, and led the winner count 36-12 against one of the tour’s fiercest hitters. The second set tiebreak in particular was clinical. Rybakina raced to a 7-0 bagel, refusing any momentum swings. After the match she admitted that even at 6-0 in the breaker, she stayed deeply focused:
“I was just focusing really.”
Her ability to combine raw power with composure under pressure marked the difference and defined the closeness of the result only on paper. In reality she controlled the match from first serve to final point.
Meaning for her and the tour
With this victory, Rybakina adds a major chapter to her career, with her 11th WTA Tour-level singles title, and the first time she has won the WTA Finals event. For the WTA Tour itself, she becomes the tenth straight first-time WTA Finals champion, a sign of just how open the field has become.
Her prize-money haul and ranking points gain also illustrate the stakes at the year-end event. With the financial and reputational reward so high, the pressure for players to bring full-season form into a single week is immense and Rybakina delivered when others faltered. Sabalenka, though defeated, conceded that her opponent simply “played incredible”.
As the WTA calendar winds down, this title may well serve as a launchpad for Rybakina’s next season. She is now armed with belief, form and the trophy to show for it, and will enter 2026 as a renewed contender.
The end of one chapter, the first step into the next
With the conclusion of the WTA Finals, the 2025 singles season on the WTA Tour draws to a close (though a few events remain on the calendar, including the Billie Jean King Cup). While the individual trophy-chasing is done, many players will now shift focus to national pride, team competition and off-season preparation. For Elena Rybakina, her week in Riyadh was both a culmination and a prelude, a crowning achievement that marks the end of a long year and the beginning of a new chapter.