Sabalenka outlasts Anisimova in punishing semifinal duel
Deep into the Riyadh night, Aryna Sabalenka summoned her reserves against Amanda Anisimova’s blistering returns, clinching a three-set escape that tees up a heavyweight final with Elena Rybakina.
In the charged atmosphere of the WTA Finals semifinal, Aryna Sabalenka absorbed Amanda Anisimova’s relentless baseline fire over 2 hours and 21 minutes, emerging with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory that vaults her into her second final at these championships. The world No. 1, unbeaten in the event, now braces for Elena Rybakina, another flawless contender, in a showdown of raw power on the indoor hard courts. From the outset, the match crackled with intensity, each player refusing to yield as thunderous groundstrokes echoed through the arena.
Opening games set brutal tone
The first two games alone unfolded over 30 points and 18 minutes, piling up 14 unforced errors, nine deuces, and six break points in a grueling baseline exchange. Anisimova matched Sabalenka’s aggressive pace with flat, penetrating shots crosscourt, but the top seed steadied her inside-out forehands to disrupt the rhythm. The set stretched to exactly one hour and 94 points, with Sabalenka converting two of eight break chances to pull ahead, while her opponent went 0-for-5 and racked up 24 unforced errors.
Anisimova, leveraging her streak of 13 straight three-set wins, sharpened in the second frame by halving those errors and cashing all three break points to even the score. She pinned Sabalenka back with deeper returns, exploiting the fast surface to force hurried responses. Yet the Belarusian held firm, her season of 63 victories—the most on the WTA Tour in 2025—fueling her composure amid the mounting pressure.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t care if I would’ve lost this match, because I think we played an incredible match and both of us deserve this place in the finals,” Sabalenka said after the match. “That was an incredible fight and I’m super happy to get the win.”
Decider hinges on mental push
As the third set reached 3-all, Sabalenka sensed vulnerability in a physically draining point, opting to extend rallies and force extra shots from her tiring foe. A backhand winner down the line broke for 4-3, igniting a surge of confidence that carried her through. She later reflected on that shift, noting how pushing Anisimova to labor for every ball unlocked the key mentality in that game.
The American clawed back with a break point on a double fault at 5-3, but Sabalenka’s first serve, a cornerstone of her one–two patterns, powered her to hold and close out the win. This triumph, following Rybakina’s earlier defeat of Jessica Pegula, sets up their 14th encounter, where the Belarusian leads 8-5 after Wuhan this season. For tournament updates, follow the scores, draws, and order of play.
Sabalenka digs deep
She defeats Anisimova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and books her spot in the final!#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/EQnfwTNNvF— wta (@WTA) November 7, 2025
Post-match, Sabalenka praised her opponent’s resurgence, telling Anisimova to take pride in a season of incredible tennis that marks just the beginning. The American, catching her breath, described the contest as a roller coaster with strong moments offset by dips, admitting it was too soon to fully unpack the lessons. Under the arena lights, the Riyadh crowd had savored a duel where endurance edged out sheer force.
Season milestones fuel final fire
This semifinal caps a landmark year for Sabalenka, who secured the year-end No. 1 ranking, reached nine finals—the WTA Tour high—and advanced to 12 semifinals, another tour lead. She surpassed Iga Swiatek’s 63 wins while becoming the first since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to contest three Grand Slam finals plus the WTA Finals in one campaign, her US Open crown a pivotal achievement. The victory highlighted her growth in high-pressure deciders, blending tactical depth with unyielding drive.
Looking ahead to Rybakina, Sabalenka views the match as another power-laden battle, with today’s grind serving as ideal prep. “It’s going to be another powerful game,” she said. “I’m looking forward to leaving everything I have in the last match of the season and fighting for this beautiful trophy. I’ll definitely go out there tomorrow and fight for every point.” As both unbeatens converge on November 7, 2025, under the #WTAFinalsRiyadh spotlight with that decisive pic.twitter.com/EQnfwTNNvF moment etched in memory, the final promises a tactical storm where mental edges will decide the year-end champion.
