Sabalenka enters Riyadh as 2025’s unbreakable force
Through major finals and a redemptive US Open sweep, Aryna Sabalenka has locked down the No. 1 ranking all year, now turning her gaze to an elusive WTA Finals triumph amid rising stakes.
Aryna Sabalenka launched 2025 from the pinnacle of the rankings, her grip on No. 1 unbroken through a season of grueling tours and high-stakes clashes. She navigated 70 matches across hard courts and clay, claiming victory in 84 percent while challengers nipped at her heels. As the WTA Finals unfold in Riyadh, her blend of thunderous serves and tactical depth positions her as the measure of excellence, ready to cap a year of near-misses with a defining stroke.
Majors expose her unyielding drive
The Australian Open final in Melbourne highlighted Sabalenka’s raw power, her inside-out forehands pinning opponents deep on the fast hard courts, yet a surge from her rival edged her out in the decider. Clay in Paris demanded adjustments, where she incorporated more loop on her backhand to counter the slower bounce, reaching another championship match but falling short against tactical finesse. Wimbledon’s grass semifinals tested her slice serves and net approaches, pushing her to the brink before a late lapse handed the advantage away, amplifying the frustration of titles absent since May.
These deep runs—quarters or better in 13 of 15 events—kept her ranking intact, her 59-11 ledger a testament to endurance under pressure. Brisbane’s hard-court opener fell to her aggressive returns, securing a 500-level crown with a flawless one–two pattern of serve and forehand. Miami and Madrid followed, the 1000-point hauls on varied surfaces showcasing her ability to stretch rallies crosscourt and finish down-the-line, elevating her career titles to 21.
“When he passed away, I was very depressed. It was a tough moment for me, for my family. But in that moment, I decided to take it as motivation, to put our family name in the history [books]. I want to believe, and I think I feel his protection from up there. I know that he became my power, so it means a lot.” -- Sabalenka, after winning the 2025 US Open, on how her father’s passing motivated her
US Open defense ignites season’s fire
Entering New York as defending champion, Sabalenka dropped just one set en route to the final, her poise evident in a straight-sets masterclass over Amanda Anisimova amid the Arthur Ashe crowd’s electric hum. The American’s power met resistance in extended exchanges, where Sabalenka’s underspin slices disrupted rhythm and inside-in backhands pierced defenses, turning home-soil pressure into propulsion. This fourth major, her second straight at Flushing Meadows, transformed personal grief into on-court resolve, as she later shared in reflections on her father’s influence.
The triumph shattered records with a 21-2 tiebreak mark, including 19 straight wins from February to September—Open Era benchmarks that underscored her clutch mastery. Observers point to this run as the pivot, weaving emotional depth with tactical precision to reaffirm her as the tour’s benchmark. Her second-place finish in total matches played, behind only Iga Swiatek, highlighted the physical toll she embraced without falter.
Riyadh promises finals breakthrough
Sabalenka’s WTA Finals ledger carries weight: a 2021 group-stage exit, a 2022 runner-up spot after upsets over Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, and Swiatek before a straight-sets loss to Caroline Garcia, plus semifinal defeats in 2023 and 2024. At 27, in her prime, she arrives for a fifth consecutive appearance rested from a light Asian schedule post-New York, her body attuned to Riyadh’s indoor hard courts. Expect her to deploy penetrating groundstrokes and varied serves against the round-robin field, targeting backhands crosscourt versus consistent foes and rushing the net against defenders.
Brad Kallet highlights her readiness to claim this signature trophy, pairing it with the US Open for a career-defining close after recharging. Greg Garber praises how she shouldered Australian and French Open disappointments with maturity, now set to assert dominance as younger talents emerge. In the desert heat of Riyadh, her journey—from major heartbreaks to cathartic victory—builds toward a potential crowning, where psychological edge and aggressive patterns could finally deliver the year-end glory she craves.
