Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest for a maiden WTA Finals title by blasting 11 aces on her way to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Jasmine Paolini in Riyadh on Sunday.

Aryna Sabalenka's 6-3 6-1 victory over Jasmine Poalini at the WTA Finals is her 12th top 10 win in 2025 💪 pic.twitter.com/lfjadLl0Sd

— TNT Sports (@tntsports) November 2, 2025

The world No 1 was at her serving best, landing a remarkable 81 per cent of her first serves in during the 70-minute contest to shoot to the summit of the Stefanie Graf Group.

It was Sabalenka's 60th win of the season. She trails only Iga Swiatek on the WTA leaderboard for matches won in 2025.

Aryna Sabalenka off to a winning start ✅😎#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/82k66FjXdD

— Ministry of Sport (@mosgovsa_en) November 2, 2025

The 27-year-old Belarusian was handed the year-end world No 1 trophy in a special ceremony in Riyadh on Saturday.

"That felt super special, of course I'm super happy and super proud of the work that has been done and that things are working and I'm getting better and better every day," said the four-time Grand Slam champion.

"I just hope we'll keep doing what we're doing and hopefully we can stay there."

Sabalenka jumped to 3-0 lead and, despite briefly losing her break advantage, scooped the opening set in just 36 minutes.

She swatted away a pair of break points to hold on to her early lead in the second frame and cruised to the finish line, as Paolini, who is playing singles and doubles this week in Riyadh, ran out of steam.

"She's a tough opponent, we played a lot and every time it's a tough battle, doesn't matter what the score is, I always have to stay focused," said Sabalenka of the eighth-seeded Italian.

"I think I'm mostly happy with my focus today. I was calm and it felt like everything was in control."

Meanwhile, Mirra Andreeva, who lost her doubles opener alongside Diana Shnaider, said her mysterious absence from the Tokyo was a misjudgement. If she had played she could have secured the eighth and final singles spot in Riyadh this week.

Andreeva was leapfrogged by Elena Rybakina at the last hurdle in the Race to Riyadh. She missed out despite winning a pair of 1000-level tournaments and reaching two Grand Slam quarterfinals this campaign.

Rybakina came from behind in the standings late in the season, winning Ningbo and reaching the Tokyo semifinals to punch her ticket to Riyadh.

"We just had a talk with our team and we decided to skip the tournament," the 18-year-old Andreeva told AFP on Sunday.

"In the end, it turned out to be a wrong decision,"

"I guess with experience we're just learning. This is just my, not even a second full year on the WTA Tour, so I think we're just going to learn from this, we're going to get more experience from this and next time I think we're not going to make that mistake again."

Stefanie Graf Group action continues at King Saud University Indoor Arena with defending champion Coco Gauff taking on fellow American Jessica Pegula in the second singles match of the day.

Victoria Mboko won the second WTA title of her career as the 19-year-old outlasted the more experienced Cristina Bucsa in the final of the Hong Kong Open on Sunday.

Mboko overpowered the Spaniard 7-5, 6-7 (9/11), 6-2 at Victoria Park to add the Hong Kong crown to her breakout victory at her home Canadian Open in August.

Mboko, who is at a career-high 21 in the world, defeated the 2021 US Open runner-up and fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez in three sets in Saturday's semi-finals.

Against the 27-year-old Bucsa, who is ranked 68, Mboko's big serve and clubbing ground strokes gradually wore down her opponent over nearly three hours.

"It's been an incredible week," said the teenager, who was ranked 350 at the end of last year and had her father watching in the crowd.

"Wow, what a match, I'm so tired right now. Cristina really pushed me to my limits."

Mboko broke serve to seal the first set, then began the second in the same fashion before holding for an early 3-0 lead and put the title within grasp.

But Bucsa, who was chasing a first singles title, reeled off three games in a row to level the set 3-3 and then survived a championship point in the tie break to force a decider.

Mboko recovered her poise in the final set and the teenager sealed the deal when her opponent fired a return into the net.

Also on Sunday in China, Russia's Anna Blinkova won the Jiangxi Open with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Austria's Lilli Tagger.

Iga Swiatek made a ruthless start to her WTA Finals campaign, handing Madison Keys a 6-1, 6-2 defeat on day one of the season-ending championships on Saturday.

Iga Swiatek clinches her first win of the 2025 WTA Finals ✅ #WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/B9szavd2yP

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 1, 2025

The Polish second seed claimed a tour-leading 62nd victory of the year and improved to 7-2 head-to-head against Keys.

Swiatek is seeking a second WTA Finals crown in Riyadh, having lifted the trophy in Cancun two years ago.

Keys qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2016 and is one of four Americans in the eight-player singles field in Riyadh this week.

Iga Swiatek discusses her victory over Madison Keys in the opening match of the WTA Finals 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ydzzvl7Ryx

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) November 1, 2025

"It feels great to be back in Riyadh especially that we’ve been switching places the last few years," said Swiatek, who is competing in the Finals for a fifth consecutive season.

"Honestly, I’m happy about everything; all the things that I practised, I got it together today, playing with the right balance between playing solid and aggressive.

"I put in the work in Warsaw before the tournament. That gives me for sure confidence to go forward and develop as a player."

Later at King Saud University Indoor Arena, Elena Rybakina was also in a hurry as she dished out a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova in just 57 minutes.

Iga Swiatek wins a fantastic point against Keys at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

The way she’s able to wrestle back control against such big hitting is incredible to watch.

So good, so Iga. 🇵🇱😮‍💨
pic.twitter.com/YU7We4M7AR

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 1, 2025

Rybakina was the last to qualify for the WTA Finals, and punched her ticket to Riyadh thanks to a title run in Ningbo and a march to the Tokyo semifinals in the last two weeks.

She put on a serving masterclass against Anisimova, firing seven aces and dropping just four points behind her first delivery.

“Amanda is a great player and a tough opponent so I knew I needed to serve well. I’m very happy with the way I played overall and I hope I can keep serving like this,” said the Kazakhstani world No 6.

Swiatek played a near-flawless match to kick off proceedings on Saturday, sealing the win in 61 minutes.

Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, hadn’t played a match in over two months – since her first-round loss at the US Open – and was understandably rusty at the start, getting broken at love in the opening game of the contest.

LETSS GOOOO🔥🔥🔥🔥
Iga defeated Madison Keys 6-1 6-2💋
She was solid and consistent🫶

JAZDAAAA👑 pic.twitter.com/99HbHqbIPu

— Iga Swiatek Updates (@IgaUpdates_) November 1, 2025

Swiatek won 20 of the first 23 points to build a 5-0 advantage, painting the lines with some inch-perfect groundstrokes off both wings.

Keys finally got on the board with a much-needed hold in game six but that didn’t stop her opponent from wrapping up the first set in 23 minutes.

The duo exchanged breaks at the start of the second frame but it was Swiatek who once again grabbed the momentum, forging ahead 5-2.

Keys saved two match points on the Swiatek serve as the Pole showed signs of shakiness, but it was only a brief lapse, as Swiatek swatted away a pair of break points en route to a dominant victory.

Swiatek has shot to the top of the Serena Williams Group, with Rybakina occupying the runner-up spot ahead of Anisimova and Keys.

Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Coco Gauff headline the Stefanie Graf Group and will commence their Riyadh campaigns on Sunday against Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula, respectively.

Aryna Sabalenka says learning to control her emotions has been her biggest lesson this season and she'll be looking to channel that calmness in her bid for a maiden WTA Finals crown in Riyadh.

The 27-year-old Belarusian has secured the year-end No 1 ranking for a second consecutive season, thanks to a strong 2025 campaign that saw her clinch four titles from eight finals reached.

 

Having secured her No 1 ranking for 2025, Aryna Sabalenka will become the 7th player in WTA history to hold the top spot for an entire year 📆🤩 pic.twitter.com/Z0vYNEQ6a1

— TNT Sports (@tntsports) October 30, 2025

 

After suffering heartbreaking defeats in the finals of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, Sabalenka rebounded by lifting a fourth Grand Slam trophy at the US Open in September.

"There was terrible control over my emotions," said Sabalenka, looking back at her losses to Madison Keys in Melbourne and Coco Gauff in Paris.

"I think the main lesson that I learned is that no matter what, doesn't matter how I feel, how frustrated I am inside, I still have to try to stay calm and try to think clear, just try to focus on the plan that I have for the match. No matter what, stay in control."

Sabalenka landed in the Stefanie Graf group at this year's WTA Finals, alongside defending champion Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini.

The top seed says she had an "intense" and "amazing" training block in Dubai for these season-ending championships and is ready for her opener against Paolini on Sunday.

Last month, Sabalenka got a chance to practise with Novak Djokovic in Greece, where they also went on a double date with their partners.

She has had multiple conversations with Djokovic in recent years and says he helped her gain perspective both on and off the court.

"How to stay settled and how to look at everything as you're looking from the outside on the situation on the court, off the court. Just to, like, be able to sit back and look at everything," she explained.

"Kind of like it's not you looking, it's someone else looking at your situation. I think that's the best lesson that you could take from Novak."

SWIATEK READY FOR QUICK SURFACE

Meanwhile, second-seeded Iga Swiatek made sure she was one of the first players to arrive in Riyadh in order to get acclimated with the court conditions and altitude.

The reigning Wimbledon champion opens her WTA Finals account against Madison Keys on Saturday, having qualified for the event for a fifth consecutive year.

 

Aryna Sabalenka shooting for the WTA Finals photoshoot 😂

She is the moment 💅🏻

pic.twitter.com/1vOnGm238V

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 31, 2025

 

The surface in Riyadh plays relatively fast, which historically hasn't been Swiatek's forte but the Polish star has made significant improvements under her coach of one year, Wim Fissette, who has helped her win titles on grass at Wimbledon and on hard courts in Cincinnati and Seoul this year.

"I think technically for sure the way I played on faster surfaces, the way I handled sometimes faster balls that were an issue for me in previous seasons, this was something that I felt improved totally," said the 24-year-old Swiatek.

"Also the speed of the serve. I think I was in some kind of a ranking of fifth or something in aces this year. That's impossible," she added with a smile.

Half of this year's WTA Finals field is American, with Gauff leading the quartet as the No 3 seed.

Gauff is looking to become the first player to successfully defend her WTA Finals title since Serena Williams completed a three-peat in 2014.

"I'm not thinking about that. I really just want to focus on my first match ahead and take it one match at a time. I think that's what I did last year. Going to try to keep that mindset," said the two-time major champion.

The WTA Finals kick off at King Saud University Sports Arena on Saturday and will conclude on November 8.

Top seed Belinda Bencic pulled out of the Hong Kong Open quarterfinals on Friday as the Tokyo Olympic champion became the latest in a long line of players to suffer a late-season injury.

The Asian "swing" on the WTA Tour has been particularly hard hit by injuries and pullouts in recent weeks, placing renewed scrutiny on the demanding tennis schedule.

Bencic, who was ranked 421 in the world at the start of the season but has climbed to 11, was supposed to meet Spain's Cristina Bucsa in the last eight in Hong Kong.

"So disappointed to have to withdraw today from my quarterfinal match here in Hong Kong due to my thigh injury," said the 28-year-old Swiss, who won gold at the Covid-delayed Olympics in 2021.

"I’ve played a lot of tennis in the past few weeks and did everything I could to stay healthy, but it was not to be."

Bencic beat Linda Noskova last weekend to win the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo and cap a remarkable comeback, a year after returning to tennis from having a baby.

Noskova reached the final in the Japanese capital after Elena Rybakina withdrew injured ahead of their semifinal.

The tournament in Hong Kong was hit even before it began with the withdrawals of former world No 1 Naomi Osaka and the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.

Both ended their seasons early through injury.

Daria Kasatkina, who has won eight WTA titles, was also initially scheduled to compete in Hong Kong but she too brought the curtain down prematurely on her season.

"The schedule is too much, mentally and emotionally I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone," the 28-year-old, who this year switched nationality from Russia to Australia, said in early October.

The 2025 WTA Tour season will come to a climax in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the top eight women this year going head-to-head in the WTA Finals.

Coco Gauff returns to defend her title after a strong season, including a Slam win at Roland Garros.

She faces stiff competition from the star-studded field that includes, world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula.

DATE: 1-8 November

VENUE: King Saud University Indoor Arena

Follow the action live on SS Tennis and Variety 1.

THE BATTLE FOR YEAR-END NO. 1

SABALENKA’S FIRST WTA FINALS TITLE BID

World No 1 and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has been dominant all year, but she’s never won the year-end championship. This is her chance to cap off a career-best season and solidify her No 1 status.

GAUFF’S TITLE DEFENSE

Gauff is the defending champion after winning in Riyadh last year. She also claimed the French Open and Wuhan Open in 2025. Back-to-back WTA Finals titles are rare—only four players have done it in the past 25 years.

SWIATEK’S VERSATILITY

Swiatek added Wimbledon to her résumé this season, proving she’s no longer just a clay-court specialist. A second WTA Finals crown would underline her adaptability and keep pressure on Sabalenka in the year-end No 1 race.

KEYS’ HISTORIC COMEBACK

Keys returns to the WTA Finals after nine years, the longest gap between appearances in tournament history. Her Australian Open win powered this comeback, but she’s been sidelined since the US Open with a wrist injury—fitness is a big question. [tennishead.net]

ANISIMOVA’S DEBUT

Amanda Anisimova makes her first WTA Finals appearance after a breakout season featuring four finals and a WTA 1000 title in Doha. How will she handle the pressure of this elite stage?

PEGULA’S CONSISTENCY

Pegula has quietly put together another strong season, reaching the semifinals at the US Open and finals in Wuhan. A WTA Finals title would be the biggest win of her career.

FORMAT

ROUND-ROBIN STAGE:

• Two groups of four players/teams.
• Each plays three matches.

KNOCKOUT STAGE:

• Top two from each group advance to semifinals.
• Winners meet in the final.

BIG PRIZE & PRESTIGE

Total prize money: $15.5 million.

Singles winner lifts the Billie Jean King Trophy.

With up to 1 500 ranking points on offer, this event can reshape the 2026 season outlook.

Belinda Bencic breezed past Czech sixth seed Linda Noskova 6-2 6-3 to win the Pan Pacific Open title on Sunday, erasing bitter memories of her straight-sets defeat by Agnieszka Radwanska in the title clash of the same tournament 10 years ago.

Victory earned Bencic her 10th WTA title overall and second of the year following her Abu Dhabi crown in February, returning her to the winners' circle once again after a maternity break in 2023 saw her drop outside the top 1 000 at one stage.

"I feel like Tokyo and Japan is a happy place in my career, a place where I've had good success and I just love being here," said Bencic, who won the Tokyo Olympics gold medal in 2021.

💬 "I'm very honored to be a Champion listed among all these legends."@BelindaBencic after her title win in Tokyo.#TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/3OdryK4fRL

— wta (@WTA) October 26, 2025

"I had a deja vu moment on court. I had match point on the same side of the court, went for the same serve and was telling myself the same things. I had goosebumps, it was really special. It's great to win here again."

Despite being dragged the distance in her last two matches at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum, the world number 13 showed no signs of fatigue in the opening exchanges and secured a break to go 4-2 up before wrapping up the opening set with another.

Bencic held in a six-deuce game to go 3-2 ahead in the second set and produced another battling display on serve later to go within two games of wrapping up a memorable victory.

With the finish line in sight, Bencic raised the intensity to grab the crucial break in the eighth game and closed out the win on serve in the next game, finishing with a superb drive volley and a neat forehand winner.

'DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE'

"It was wonderful playing in front of you," Bencic said.

"The last time I won here ... it was an empty stadium - so it was a completely different atmosphere, but it was great," she said, referring to the Olympics held during the Covid pandemic.

"... I'm super happy to finally win this tournament."

2015: Runner-up in Tokyo 🥈
2025: Champion in Tokyo 🏆@BelindaBencic worth the wait 👏#TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/0ENsAwmz1k

— wta (@WTA) October 26, 2025

For Noskova, it was a disappointing end to a fortuitous week. She reached the final after Elena Rybakina's withdrawal due to injury, and earlier benefited from a walkover midway through her quarterfinal with Anna Kalinskaya.

The 20-year-old was beaten in the final of the China Open earlier this month by American Amanda Anisimova, leaving her with only one title in her career following her triumph in Monterrey last year.

"Obviously today was not my day," Noskova said.

"But congratulations to Belinda. She played incredible this week and today. I'm very happy to see you back, coming back from giving birth. It's such an achievement."

"I definitely look up to you in so many ways. It was a great experience, although not a lucky one for me to play you today."

Belinda Bencic reached her second Pan Pacific Open final a decade after her first with a hard-fought 7-6(5) 3-6 6-2 win over American Sofia Kenin on Saturday, booking a title clash with Linda Noskova, who advanced via a walkover.

Bencic will have another chance to win the trophy and erase bitter memories of her defeat by Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the 2015 final, and the Swiss player said that she was looking forward to the challenge despite her exhaustion.

2025 Tokyo Final 🏆

Who will take home the title? 🤔

Presented by @CorpayFX pic.twitter.com/s4sZbXYkwq

— wta (@WTA) October 25, 2025

"I feel very old to hear that I'm in the final again after 10 years," Bencic said.

"It's really nice, of course. It's been a tough battle out there. I'm happy I was able to give it my all and go for it in the end. I'm really excited to play the final.

"Sometimes your mind convinces you to keep going and your body says, 'I don't want to' ... but you can find a way if you have to and you have the will to go through.

"Hopefully I can do that one more time."

Playing under the centre court roof of the Ariake Coliseum due to rain, both players stayed strong on serve in the opening 12 games before Swiss Bencic turned up the intensity in a tight tiebreak to take the opening set with a forehand winner.

Former Australian Open champion Kenin wiped the slate clean and came out firing to bag a break in the fourth game of the second set and overcame a minor wobble on her own delivery in the next game to eventually draw level in the contest.

'DIFFICULT MATCH'

Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider after some sloppy play by Kenin, and the 28-year-old rode the momentum to wrap up the victory and stay on course for her second title of the season.

"I think it was a very difficult match," said Bencic, who won the Abu Dhabi title in February, four months after returning to the circuit from maternity leave.

"I'm really exhausted at this point. I tried to shorten the points, take more risks and tried to go for it. Thankfully, today it went my way."

Earlier, Elena Rybakina pulled out of her clash against Noskova with a back injury, a day after the Kazakh secured the last qualifying spot for next month's season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh by reaching the Tokyo semifinals.

Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from Tokyo.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, @lenarybakina! ❤️‍🩹#TorayPPO pic.twitter.com/bfukuZBI6e

— wta (@WTA) October 25, 2025

"I'm sorry I can't play today," Rybakina said.

"I've been having problems with my back this week and can't play 100 per cent. I'm disappointed that my fans will not see me today, but I hope to see you next year."

Noskova, who was beaten in the China Open final earlier this month by American Amanda Anisimova, will aim to capture only her second WTA titl,e having triumphed in Monterrey last year.

"She's definitely the in-form player," Bencic said.

"She's a great player so I'm expecting it to be another tough match tomorrow."

Elena Rybakina clinched the eighth and last spot at next month's WTA Finals when she beat Victoria Mboko 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on Friday to reach the Pan Pacific semifinals in Tokyo.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins the elite field in Saudi Arabia after a successful run of form that also saw her win the Ningbo Open in China last week.

"It's great to qualify and play some more matches, especially against top players," said Kazakhstan's Rybakina, who will appear at the Finals for a third straight year.

"Last week I was focusing one match at a time and I knew that to qualify it's going to take a long road," said the world No 7.

"In the end everything worked out pretty well."

Rybakina will play sixth seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in the semifinals on Saturday.

The No 2 seed made a fast start by winning the first three games against Canada's 19-year-old Mboko on the way to sealing the first set.

The second was more closely contested with Rybakina saving a set point against the 23rd-ranked Mboko before they went to a tiebreak.

Rybakina sent down five aces during the match and hit 23 winners to Mboko's 17.

"It was a very difficult match, I'm really glad I managed to win in two sets," said the 26-year-old.

"It was very tight games but on the tiebreak I think I served well and also played some good points."

Rybakina was locked in a straight battle for the last WTA Finals spot with Russia's Mirra Andreeva.

Rybakina joins Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini at the November 1-8 season-ending tournament.

"I'll try to do well there at the finals for sure, but I think now I played a lot of matches and I'm a little bit tired," said Rybakina.

"I understand that it's important to manage your body and finish the season healthy."

Paolini secured the seventh spot by reaching the semifinals last week in Ningbo.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina stormed back from a set down to capture the 10th title of her career with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Ningbo Open final in China on Sunday.

Rybakina fired 39 winners, including 11 aces, and won 88 per cent of her first-serve points against Russia's Alexandrova to clinch her second trophy of the season.

The world No 9 from Kazakhstan strengthened her chances of securing a WTA Finals qualification spot.

But she will need to reach the semifinals at next week's Pan-Pacific Open in Tokyo to move past Russia's Mirra Andreeva in the race for a place in Riyadh next month.

"I would like to congratulate Ekaterina for the great week and the great season so far and wish her good luck in the next season," said Rybakina after accepting the trophy.

"Thank you so much to my team who are always pushing me to be better, especially at the end of the season, it's not easy.

"But without you I will not be here. Hopefully we can push a little more next week."

Rybakina responded to dropping the opening set by winning nine games in a row, as she levelled the match and surged to a 3-0 advantage in the decider.

She was nearly unplayable in the second and third sets and sealed the victory in just under two hours.

"I want to congratulate Elena on the amazing week and the amazing game that she played today," said Alexandrova, who at the age of 30 was making her top-10 debut this week.

"I wish her luck until the end of the season and for the next year.”

Canada's Leylah Fernandez won her second title of the year after beating Czech teenager Tereza Valentova 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 in the Japan Open final on Sunday.

Fernandez, the world number 27, followed up her victory at the DC Open in Washington in July with another tournament win after seeing off qualifier Valentova in Osaka.

It was the fifth title of the 23-year-old Fernandez's career and the first time she has won twice in the same year.

Fernandez, playing with heavy strapping on her right thigh, cruised to the first set against her 18-year-old opponent, who is ranked 78 in the world and was appearing in her first WTA final.

Valentova looked shell-shocked at the changeover before the second set but she came out swinging and levelled the match.

Fernandez regained the upper hand in the third set, sealing victory when her opponent hit a service return into the net.

The Japan Open's top seed, former world No 1 Naomi Osaka, pulled out ahead of her quarterfinal after failing to recover from a leg injury.

Fernandez will compete in next week's Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she will face fellow Canadian Victoria Mboko in the opening round.

Elena Rybakina powered into the Ningbo Open final with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini on Saturday that keeps her chances alive of qualifying for the WTA Finals.

Paolini could have secured her ticket to next month's season finale in Riyadh with success on Saturday.

But the Italian's defeat means the battle for the last two spots will be settled at next week's Pan-Pacific Open in Tokyo, with Mirra Andreeva also still in contention.

"I knew the match was going to be very tough," said Rybakina, who improved her head-to-head record against Paolini to 3-3.

"Jasmine has played really well this season and she's a really tough opponent, so I knew I would need to bring my best.

"I'm happy I stayed focused until the end and won it in straight sets."

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina entered the semifinals having lost her last two meetings with Paolini but utilised her big serve and powerful groundstrokes to win in 90 minutes.

Rybakina fired 30 winners, including 10 aces, and saved all seven break points she faced to reach her second final of the season, where she will face fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Alexandrova is celebrating her top-10 debut this week and moved into her fourth final of the year with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over fellow Russian Diana Shnaider.

In a rematch of the Monterrey final won by Shnaider earlier this season, Alexandrova benefited from 40 unforced errors from her opponent throughout the 92-minute showdown.

"I'm really happy with the result, being here in the final. I think it was a super difficult match today," said Alexandrova, who is through to the 13th WTA final of her career.

"I have no expectations. I will go on the court tomorrow and enjoy the atmosphere and the match.

"I will try to do my best because she is a great player and has a really tough serve, so it will be super difficult against her."

Italian second seed Jasmine Paolini kept her hopes of qualifying for the WTA Finals alive with a gritty comeback win over Belinda Bencic, beating Switzerland's Tokyo Olympic gold medallist 5-7 7-5 6-3 in the Ningbo Open quarterfinals on Friday.

 

What a match! Big fight in Ningbo…. Semis next! 💪🏾🇮🇹🇨🇳 @WTA pic.twitter.com/T2WxfPfoMO

— Jasmine Paolini (@JasminePaolini) October 17, 2025

 

Paolini will face third-seed Elena Rybakina in the semis, after the Russian-born Kazakh took less than an hour to beat Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 6-0 later in the day.

Twice Grand Slam finalist Paolini needs a win over Rybakina in the last four to qualify for next month's WTA Finals in Riyadh.

The contest against Bencic at the WTA 500 hardcourt tournament, which lasted a marathon three hours and 22 minutes, marked the longest match of Paolini's season.

Bencic, 28, served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but was unable to close it out. Her momentum was further interrupted in the deciding set when she took a medical time-out due to a thigh issue while trailing 4-3.

"One of the toughest I ever played, honestly," Paolini, who was the runner-up at last year's French Open and Wimbledon, said. "Belinda, she's an amazing player and a very good person. Today, she deserved to win as well, so it was really tough.

"I'm happy I stayed there, because at the beginning I had too many mistakes. I couldn't find my best tennis, but then I just tried to stay there every point and turn the match somehow."

 

Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini will face each other in the semifinals of Ningbo.

Jasmine leads the head to head 3-2 and won their last 2 meetings.

This match will be very big in terms of deciding who reaches the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

Elena, Jasmine, & Mirra Andreeva… pic.twitter.com/bft7HKoMmL

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 17, 2025

 

Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys have all qualified for the season-ending championship of the WTA Tour in Riyadh, with two spots still up for grabs.

RYBAKINA EASES PAST TOMLJANOVIC

Rybakina also remained in contention for a place at the WTA Finals, as she landed seven aces while a struggling Tomljanovic made nine double faults.

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina has now won 50 matches on the tour this year and qualified for seven semifinals.

 

Dominant display 💪

Elena Rybakina puts in a clinical performance to win in straight sets against Tomljanovic and set up a semifinal against Paolini.#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/pwvT2hf6AS

— wta (@WTA) October 17, 2025

 

"Of course, it would be nice to qualify (for the WTA Finals). But I know for this I still need to win a lot of matches. Not only here, but also next week," Rybakina said.

"Today I think I served well. It’s not easy to play Ajla. Today a lot of things went my way. Also some lines which I caught. Overall, happy I won in straight sets. Looking forward to tomorrow."

Fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova brushed aside American McCartney Kessler 6-3 6-3 to set up a last-four clash with fellow Russian and seventh seed Diana Shnaider, who beat local favourite Zhu Lin 2-6 6-3 6-1 later on Friday.

Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Japan Open ahead of her quarterfinal on Friday after the four-time Grand Slam champion failed to recover from a leg injury.

The former world No 1 was tearful after struggling through her last-16 match against defending champion Suzan Lamens in Osaka on Wednesday.

Top seed Osaka, who turned 28 this week, was supposed to face Romania's Jaqueline Cristian in the last eight.

"We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarterfinals scheduled for today," the tournament said on X.

Osaka finished her three-set defeat of Lamens with heavy strapping on her left thigh and said afterwards that only painkillers had helped her get through the match.

Her exit leaves fourth seed Leylah Fernandez as the highest-seeded player remaining in the draw.

Osaka, who is ranked 16 in the world, is supposed to play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo next week.

Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu will end her season prematurely after pulling out of her final two scheduled events in Tokyo and Hong Kong amid physical issues, British media reported on Thursday.

Raducanu was beaten 3-6 6-4 6-1 by China's Zhu Lin in her Ningbo opener on Tuesday after receiving treatment for a back issue, a week after the 22-year-old retired from her meeting with Ann Li while trailing 6-1 4-1 in Wuhan.

The Briton had looked to carry her encouraging showing at the US Open into the ongoing Asian swing.

She enjoyed her best run at Flushing Meadows in late August since winning the title in 2021, securing two dominant victories before falling to ninth seed Elena Rybakina.

The world number 29 will now hope that she has done enough to be seeded for the Australian Open next year.

British media reported that she will continue working with Spanish coach Francisco Roig heading into next season following a string of changes to her team in recent seasons.

Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness issues since her only Grand Slam triumph as a teenager but rediscovered her competitive spirit during her run to the Miami Open quarterfinals earlier this year.

She won 28 matches this year, notably reaching the semifinals in Washington in July.

Naomi Osaka battled through injury to reach the quarterfinals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, choking back tears after hitting the winning shot against defending champion Suzan Lamens.

Top seed Osaka, playing a singles tournament in her native Japan for the first time in three years, won 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-2 to set up a last-eight match against Romania's Jaqueline Cristian.

The former world No 1 was leading 5-0 in the final set in the city of Osaka when she needed a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left leg.

She returned with heavy strapping on her thigh and lost the next two games before closing out the match in 2 hours, 20 minutes.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka hit a backhand winner and then bent over and put her hand to her face before walking to the net appearing to fight back tears.

"It was definitely really difficult. I'm kind of sorry about my attitude," Osaka said in an on-court interview that had to be cut short due to her injury.

The 27-year-old is playing in her first tournament since reaching the US Open semifinals, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova of the United States.

Osaka had not progressed to the second week of a major since winning the Australian Open for a second time in 2021.

HUGE POINT 🔥@naomiosaka goes on to win the tiebreak to go a set up against Lamens.#JapanOpen pic.twitter.com/Z5BjGbEueA

— wta (@WTA) October 15, 2025

Osaka, now ranked 16 in the world, returned to the courts in early 2024 after giving birth to a daughter.

She failed to get past the second round of any Grand Slam last year and lost in the first round of the French Open in May.

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka told AFP that she needs to improve her tennis "in literally everything" and how Novak Djokovic is helping her do it on and off the court.

In a wide-ranging interview, the four-time Grand Slam champion talked about ignoring hate on social media, nearly quitting and her hopes and fears for life after tennis.

The 27-year-old from Belarus is now the undoubted women's No 1 but it was hard work and suffering which got her there, and some of it played out very publicly.

Sabalenka, then two in the world, was reduced to tears as her serve spectacularly deserted her at a tournament in the lead-up to the 2022 Australian Open.

"I couldn't put one serve in. I was double-faulting 40 times. And I was like, maybe that's a sign that I have to quit," she said in Hong Kong.

"Because I was pushing, trying. We've done everything to fix my serve and nothing would work."

She added: "But, you know, I really believe – because I faced in different parts of life similar things – that when you're getting close to that moment where you're about to give up, I really believe that this is the moment when you can turn around things.

"You just have to push. You just have to keep trying. And this is the moment when it's a turning moment."

Back in Australia a year later, Sabalenka won her first major crown and successfully defended her Melbourne title in 2024.

Sabalenka is renowned for her hard hitting, powerful serve, aggressive style of play and mental steel, but warned her rivals that she sees "so many things" that she can do better.

"There's always something, you cannot stop," said Sabalenka, visiting Hong Kong for the Prudential NextGen Aces event with American great Andre Agassi.

"Like Andre said, the moment you stop, you're going down. And I only want to go up."

Talking specifics, she said: "I would love to approach the net much more. And I need to spend time working on that and understanding the game on the net in singles.

"So, so many things I can get better at – shots, strokes, like literally everything."

'IT CAN DESTROY YOU'

With success comes scrutiny and commentary, especially on social media, where Sabalenka frequently posts about life inside and outside tennis.

She identified social media as one of the prime challenges to youngsters coming through the sport, warning that even for a seasoned campaigner like herself it is not easy to ignore criticism and hate – "sometimes it can destroy you".

"Sometimes when it really gets to me, I like to go on their profile (the person criticising) and see that. Like guys, I'm trying to do something big here," she said.

"To inspire, to be a good example. I'm working hard. I'm chasing my dreams. I'm dedicating my life to something that I think is big."

CHATS WITH NOVAK

Sabalenka's friendship with 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic recently came to the fore after she practised with him and they spent time together socially along with their partners.

"He's a great guy and he's very open. You can ask anything and he can give you advice," she said of the 38-year-old Serb.

"And he's such an open guy and I love practising with him because for me it's such high-intensity training.

"It just helps me physically and even mentally to get better.

"And then when I play against girls, I'm not getting tired physically because I practise with Novak."

She revealed that after losing two finals this year she sought his counsel.

"At Wimbledon I spoke to Novak. I just wanted to know how he was preparing himself for those big matches – what was the focus and what was his mindset going into the match.

"So we talked for an hour probably, but with Novak you always can spend more than that talking and asking for advice.

"And then later on, going to the US Open final, I remembered what he said, what he told me, and I think it helped me to get the title."

'LOTS TO LEARN'

Sabalenka still has years left at the top, but already has ideas of what comes after tennis.

She is thinking about something related to fashion or health, but admits it is a touch daunting.

"For now I'm too busy on getting better as a player, but we're definitely going to try to come up with something cool," she said.

"But that scares me as well because I feel like as an athlete, we're so focused on our sport and we're just living in a bubble.

"And then when we finish our career and we go outside of the bubble, it feels like for me I know nothing and I have a lot of things to learn."

Coco Gauff said her victory at the Wuhan Open on Sunday had boosted her confidence after a disappointing run of results, as the American prepares to defend her title at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh next month.

Gauff defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-4 7-5 in the final of the WTA 1000 event to clinch her 11th career WTA singles title.

It was the 21-year-old's first title since winning the French Open in June, and came after a series of uninspired performances which included a fourth-round defeat by Naomi Osaka in the US Open.

"This definitely gives me a lot more confidence going into the WTA finals, after the way the mid-part of the season went for me, especially in New York," Gauff told WTA media.

"It gives me a lot of confidence to try to defend that title. Obviously, winning it last year, I know how tough it is to do, so I'm just going to take it match by match and hopefully I can end up with the trophy."

Gauff, who did not drop a set in Wuhan, has won all nine of her finals on hard courts.

"I definitely think it's the surface I'm most true to," the two-times Grand Slam winner added. "Growing up I liked the sureness of bounces and the sureness of knowing when I'm going to stop and when I'm going to go.

"A lot of people think (my best surface) is clay. I don't know my favourite surface. I feel like it's still going to be hard court, for me."

On Sunday, Gauff became the first woman in a decade to win nine consecutive hardcourt finals, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams, who won 12 between 2013-15.

"I didn't know that was a stat, so I'll try not to think about it if I'm in another hardcourt final to keep that record going," she said.

Coco Gauff said her "stubborn" decision to defy her coach and play in China after a tough US Open had paid off after she beat Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday to clinch the third WTA 1000 title of her career in Wuhan.

The 21-year-old Gauff secured the Wuhan Open without dropping a set after a 1hr 42min battle in the central Chinese city and became the first player in the Open Era to win her first nine hard-court finals.

Your winner in Wuhan 🤩🏆@CocoGauff | #WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/TJH5DzAaxb

— wta (@WTA) October 12, 2025

"It was a great Asian swing," said Gauff, who reached the semifinals in Beijing last week, before winning the Wuhan Open.

"I'm going to call JC out," she said referring to her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel.

"He originally didn't want me to come because I had a tough US Open, but I had to prove him wrong.

"I'm a very stubborn person so maybe he said that on purpose for me to have a good result here."

All the love for the support in China 🫶@CocoGauff | #WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/WgOecbU4SM

— wta (@WTA) October 12, 2025

In the first final between the former doubles partners, Gauff came from behind several times in the second set against her fellow American.

The pair had contrasting routes to the final with Gauff dropping a mere 16 games while Pegula battled through three-setters in all eight of her previous matches in China.

'THREE-SET QUEEN'

"You're the three-set queen," said Gauff as she congratulated Pegula on her run to the final.

"So I was determined not to let you get there today because I felt like the odds would be in your favour in the third set.

"When I came on tour, you were one of the first people to be nice to me and welcome me with open arms and that really goes a long way and still goes a long way, so I appreciate you," Gauff added.

"It's great to finally play in a final against you and I hope for many more. It's an honour to share the court with you."

Third seed Gauff won the first six points of the match and leapt to a 3-0 advantage.

Pegula recovered from her slow start and went on the attack in game seven, breaking with a fierce backhand winner that helped her get on level terms at 4-4.

It looked like the sixth seed had swung the momentum her way but Gauff found a tiny opening two games later and broke to secure the opening set in 47 minutes.

Pegula had come back from 5-2 down in her deciding set against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka the day before and was more than ready for another fightback.

Gauff has been reworking her serve with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan since the end of August.

but the shot remains susceptible in stressful situations and she double-faulted six times, allowing Pegula to break her twice for a 3-0 lead in the second set.

Gauff drew level before there was another exchange of breaks, Pegula inching ahead with a cunning drop shot.

But Gauff went on a run of winning 10 consecutive points and shortly after raised her arms in celebration as a Pegula volley sailed wide on match point.

"It's an honour to play you, as a friend and fellow American in the final," said Pegula.

"It's our first final, so that was a lot of fun being able to play."

The 31-year-old also gave a shout out to her fitness trainer John Opfer, who helped her withstand such a gruelling Asian swing that included a semifinal run in Beijing and a runner-up showing in Wuhan in fierce heat and humidity.

"I don't think I've played this many hours on the court in such a short amount of time and actually felt good," she said.

Jessica Pegula fought back to end Aryna Sabalenka's perfect record in Wuhan with a dramatic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) victory in the semifinals on Saturday and will face Coco Gauff for the title.

Contesting an eighth consecutive three-setter, Pegula clawed her way back from 2-5 down in the decider to shock the world No 1 and set up a final against fellow American Gauff, who squeezed past Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3.

"That was crazy, I can't believe I came back and won that," said Pegula, who has won seven of the eight consecutive three-set matches she played in the last 17 days.

"I’m just really proud of myself. I’ve played so much tennis the last few weeks, so many three-set matches, but I feel like I’m very tough right now and I’m just using that as best I can."

 

Jessica Pegula d. Sabalenka 2-6 6-4 7-6

Down 2-5 in the 3rd.

Pegula becomes the only player to beat Aryna in Wuhan, snapping her 20 match win streak.

She also snaps Aryna’s streak of 19 consecutive tiebreaks won & breaks a 4 match losing streak against Aryna.

Into her 6th… pic.twitter.com/JufPokVeXP

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 11, 2025

 

The sixth-seeded Pegula is through to her sixth final of the season, having dethroned the reigning Wuhan champion Sabalenka, who came into the match with a perfect 20-0 record at the tournament.

Played in significantly cooler temperatures compared to the rest of the week, both semifinals of the day featured a whopping number of service breaks due to the slower conditions.

There were five breaks of serve in the first six games of the contest before Sabalenka managed to consolidate her advantage and create a 5-2 gap.

Pegula, 31, threw her racquet in frustration when Sabalenka fired a return winner to get to set point the following game, and the Belarusian scooped the opening set as the match clock hit 40 minutes.

Despite her struggles on serve, Pegula was playing great off the ground, which helped her course-correct in the second set.

The American squandered a 2-0 lead early on but recovered to wrestle the second set away from Sabalenka’s hands and force a decider.

 

Jessica Pegula gets her revenge on Aryna Sabalenka 👊#WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/sYb19sDT9e

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 11, 2025

 

The final set was another see-saw affair, but it looked almost over when Sabalenka served for the win at 5-3. Pegula had other ideas and flipped the script to lead 6-5.

Serving for the victory, Pegula double-faulted four times and let two match points slip away, allowing Sabalenka to force a deciding tiebreak.

Pegula upped her level when she needed it the most to claim just the third victory from 11 meetings with Sabalenka.

GAUFF OUSTS PAOLINI

Gauff survived a battle of wills and some serving wobbles against Paolini in their semifinal.

The two-time Grand Slam champion had lost all three meetings she had with Paolini in 2025 but turned things around with a clutch effort on Saturday.

"It was 3-0 this year, but I think our head-to-head is even now," said Gauff of her record against the Italian.

"I’m really happy with how I played today, it was tough, especially playing on the serve, but I did what I needed to do to get through."

 

Coco Gauff becomes the youngest woman in history to reach both the Beijing final and the Wuhan final.

21 years old & getting stronger every year.

🇺🇸❤️ pic.twitter.com/xzVcElacH2

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 11, 2025

 

In a semifinal dominated by the return, Gauff edged Paolini by the slimmest of margins.

A run of 11 consecutive breaks of serve swung the momentum like a pendulum but it was Gauff who finally held serve in game seven of the second set en route to an 82-minute victory.

The 21-year-old is through to the fifth WTA 1000 final of her career, and third in 2025.