Sabalenka's Heartbreak in Riyadh Final
Aryna Sabalenka was left in a state of utter devastation, smashing her racket and breaking down in tears after a crushing defeat to Elena Rybakina in the final of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The World No. 1's loss meant she missed out on the most significant single payday in the history of women's tennis, a record prize of $5,235,000 (£3.98m).
Rybakina's Stunning Victory
Sixth seed Elena Rybakina produced a breathtaking performance to secure her biggest title since winning Wimbledon in 2022. She defeated the top-ranked Sabalenka in straight sets, 6-3 7-6 (7-0), in a match that showcased her unstoppable serving and powerful groundstrokes. Both players had entered the final undefeated after winning all three of their round-robin matches, setting the stage for the historic financial reward.
Rybakina, who was the last player to qualify for the season-ending tournament, has now won 11 consecutive matches, signalling a formidable return to form. Despite being in control for much of the second set, she was forced to save two set points from a determined Sabalenka before dominating the tie-break, winning seven consecutive points to claim the title.
A Bittersweet Financial Record
While the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Sabalenka, who was aiming for her first WTA Finals title after a loss in the 2022 final, she did secure a different kind of record. Her runner-up prize of $2,695,000 for reaching the final pushed her total season earnings to just over $15 million. This smashes the previous WTA season earnings record held by Serena Williams, who won $12,385,572 in 2013.
This new financial milestone comes after a season of highs and lows for the Belarusian. She suffered two grand slam final defeats earlier in 2025, at the Australian Open to Madison Keys and at Roland Garros to Coco Gauff, before clinching her fourth major title at the US Open two months ago. That victory earned her a $5m (£3.74m) prize, which was still less than what was on offer for the undefeated champion in Riyadh.
The WTA Finals, now in the second year of a three-year deal in Saudi Arabia, featured a record total prize pool of $15.5m (£12m) for the elite eight-player event. The scale of the prize money highlights the growing financial clout of the tournament, which now offers more to its champion than any of the four Grand Slams.
