The 2025 WTA Tour Finals kicks off this Saturday, November 1st. For the second year in a row, the best female athletes will conclude their season in Saudi Arabia. Arina Sabalenka, current world #1, is dreaming of finally winning the end-year crown. Compared to last season, there are only two changes in the top eight singles players, with Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova taking the places of Barbora Krejčíková and Qinwen Zheng.
According to fans, Arina Sabalenka is the leading contender for the WTA Finals despite a challenging season with two consecutive losses in the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals. However, the season took a positive turn in the fall for Arina, following her US Open victory. The world number one's solid lead over her rivals ensures her a top ranking position regardless of the Finals outcome, but Sabalenka is highly unlikely to be satisfied with just that, as she aims to finish the season on a high note by securing her first WTA Finals title. As of now, her best previous result remains the 2022 final, having reached the semifinals in the two seasons prior.
It seems that the semis may once again pose the greatest challenge for Arina this year. Świątek, Anisimova, Rybakina, and Keys are all potential threats to Arina. It is curious that Iga remains the only one of these four who hasn't won a single match against Sabalenka this year. The other quartet, named after Stefanie Graf, include Gauff, Pegula, Paolini, and Sabalenka herself. The world #1 will commence her road to the title on Sunday, facing Paolini, who is scheduled to play in doubles as well.
As for doubles, three top Russian players will compete for the title. Among them is Veronika Kudermitova, who has won her first Wimbledon title this year, paired with the Belgian Elise Mertens. The duo will play in Riyadh as well, looking for another title as a pairing.
Another First&Red ambassador, Diana Shnaider, is ready to make her debut in the WTA Finals alongside her partner Mirra Andreeva. Not only did they secure the silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year, but they also managed to demonstrate excellence this year, both in singles and doubles. Diana and Mirra are scheduled to play their first game on Sunday.
