Tennis-Red-hot Rybakina scorches Sabalenka for maiden WTA Finals crown

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RIYADH (Reuters) -Elena Rybakina capped a flawless week at the WTA Finals by stunning world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 7-6(0) in the final on Saturday for her first trophy in the season-ending championships and a record $5.235 million in prize money.

The last stop of this season’s WTA Tour kicked off with four different Grand Slam champions in the field, but ultimately went to a player who did not even reach the quarter-finals of a major in 2025 and was the last to qualify with a win in Ningbo and a run to the Tokyo semi-finals.

Rybakina earned 1,500 points – her biggest haul – after she was denied any for her 2022 Wimbledon win when the ATP and WTA penalised the major for banning Russian and Belarusian players from playing in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“It’s been an incredible week, I honestly didn’t expect any result and to go so far, I mean, it’s just incredible,” Rybakina said after collecting the Billie Jean King trophy, her third title of the season.

“Congratulations Aryna for being number one (at the year-end) for the second season in a row, an amazing achievement.

“Today was such a tough battle, some moments I didn’t like here but it’s tennis and I hope we’re going to play many more finals in big tournaments together.”

In a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open title clash won by Sabalenka, it was Rybakina who made early inroads with a barrage of powerful winners to shrug off concerns over a sore shoulder and break for a 4-2 lead in the opening set.

BOLD BALL STRIKING

The ice-cool world number six rallied from 15-40 down in the seventh game to tighten her hold and secure the set with more bold ball striking from both flanks, leaving 2022 finalist Sabalenka with a mountain to climb.

Rybakina ramped up the pressure in the next set as she lost only two points in four service games. She showed her battling qualities for a clutch hold in the 10th game when Sabalenka crashed a forehand into the net.

Rybakina cranked up her massive serve two games later and forced a tiebreak, where the Kazakh grabbed the early lead and never looked back to secure her 11th straight match victory and with it the title.

“It wasn’t my best performance, but yeah, Elena you were definitely the better player,” Sabalenka said.

“You literally smashed me out of the court, so very well done. I’m happy to see you play your best tennis. It was a nice comeback at the end of this season.

“Now it’s time to enjoy your off-season and enjoy this beautiful trophy,” Sabalenka added, before fighting off tears as she thanked her own team.

“Not the result we all wanted today … I guess I’m getting old, I’m getting sensitive. So many things to be proud of.”

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)