Elena Rybakina completed a remarkable 11-match winning streak by defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6–3, 7–6 (0) to claim the WTA Finals title in Riyadh on Saturday, Nov. 9.

The Kazakh star’s victory capped a three-title season that included Strasbourg and Ningbo, and she became the first player from Kazakhstan — and any Asian nation — to win the prestigious year-end tournament.

Rybakina ends Sabalenka’s dominance

Both players entered the final unbeaten in group play. Rybakina earned $5.235 million for the victory, while Sabalenka collected $2.695 million as runner-up. Sabalenka’s season earnings set a new WTA single-season record, surpassing Serena Williams’ 2013 mark.

Rybakina broke Sabalenka’s resistance midway through the first set, taking a 4–2 lead after a flawless service game. She closed it out 6–3 when Sabalenka netted an overhead shot, showing composure under pressure.

The second set remained tight, with Sabalenka saving four break points, but her resistance faltered in the tiebreak. Rybakina shut out Sabalenka 7–0, marking her only love tiebreak win of the season.

Historic achievements and records

Rybakina’s win tied her to several WTA Finals milestones:

• Fourth No. 6 seed in seven editions to claim the title.

• Second player since 1979–80 to beat the World No. 1 in consecutive WTA Finals appearances, following Tracy Austin.

• Now holds an 8–6 career record against World No. 1 players, joining Steffi Graf and Serena Williams with a winning record over the top-ranked.

Rybakina’s season ended with a 58–19 record, her strongest to date. Her rivalry with Sabalenka now stands at 8–6, including three finals wins: Indian Wells 2023, Brisbane 2024, and Riyadh 2025.

Season review for Sabalenka

Sabalenka finishes the year with four titles, including the US Open and two WTA 1000 trophies. She amassed 63 match wins, 15 Top 10 victories, and will end 2025 as year-end No. 1 for the second straight year — a feat only seven women in history have achieved.

“She played incredible,” Sabalenka said. “I feel like I did my best today… I leave this tournament proud of myself and what we’ve achieved.”

Rybakina will finish the season at a career-high No. 5. “It gives a lot of motivation, and hopefully I get some good rest and I can keep this mentality for next season,” she said.