Aryna Sabalenka Assesses the ‘Bad Thing’ About 2025 Season After Finishing Runners-up at the WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka has undoubtedly been the most consistent player on the WTA Tour this year. The Belarusian reached three of the four Grand Slam finals and also made it to the final of the WTA Finals.

However, she lost two Grand Slam finals as well as the championship match at the WTA Finals. This inability to perform at her best in crucial matches has been a concern for the World No. 1, who described it as a “bad thing” during her press conference:

Sometimes there are players who are better than you, days when they’re better than you. How do you recover after such a tough loss? Well, you just have to keep going, that’s all. The bad thing about this season is that I lost almost all the important finals I played, so I’m going to take advantage of the time in the Maldives to sit down with a tequila and think about this, analyze my behavior, my emotions, and focus on all the good things that have happened to me so far. I just need to improve my relationship with myself a little more, so I hope to show that progress next season.

Sabalenka was defeated by Madison Keys and Coco Gauff in the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals, respectively. She drew attention after the French Open final for not crediting Gauff and even suggesting that Iga Swiatek would have won the title had she played instead.

Despite those setbacks, Sabalenka bounced back at the US Open, successfully defending her title from the previous year. Yet, her recent loss to Elena Rybakina in the WTA Finals has once again raised questions about her ability to deliver in the biggest matches.

Elena Rybakina thumps Aryna Sabalenka to win WTA Finals

Elena Rybakina captured the WTA Finals title with a dominant win over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 7-6(0), in Riyadh. The sixth seed delivered a near-perfect performance, firing eight aces and securing the only service break of the match on the indoor hard court.

This victory marked Rybakina’s first WTA Finals title and came in her third straight appearance at the event. The 2022 Wimbledon champion showed poise and precision throughout the tournament, remaining unbeaten in all five of her matches.

With the win, Rybakina earned a record-breaking $5.23 million, the largest prize in women’s sports history. Sabalenka, who also fell in the 2022 WTA Finals championship match to Caroline Garcia, took home $2.7 million as runner-up.

In the final, Rybakina broke for a 4-2 lead in the opening set and held firm as Sabalenka fought back in the second. Despite Sabalenka’s impressive 22–2 record in tiebreaks this season, Rybakina blanked her 7-0, sealing the match when Sabalenka sent a backhand long.

Elena Rybakina snubs WTA CEO during final photoshoot

An uncomfortable moment unfolded during the WTA Finals trophy ceremony when Elena Rybakina appeared to avoid WTA CEO Portia Archer. The newly crowned champion chose not to explain the incident, but it likely relates to the WTA’s suspension of her coach, Stefano Vukov. Rybakina had just secured her biggest victory since Wimbledon 2022, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets in Riyadh.

During the post-match photos, Rybakina posed alongside Sabalenka as usual. However, when Archer approached to join the group, Rybakina stepped away and stood at a distance. Even after being called back, she declined to return, signaling for the photos to continue without her. When questioned afterward, she said only that the reason would remain private between herself and the WTA chief.

The tension traces back to the WTA’s treatment of Vukov, who was provisionally suspended in 2024 following concerns about his conduct. His coaching style had already drawn criticism during the 2023 Australian Open, though Rybakina had publicly supported him at the time. Before the 2024 US Open, she announced their split, while the WTA began investigating him.

Rybakina described Vukov’s actions as conflicting with the “safe environment” expected on tour. He later appealed the suspension and was reinstated in August 2024. Despite that, the relationship between Rybakina and WTA officials remains strained, and the recent incident in Saudi Arabia suggests the dispute is far from resolved.

Also Read: What Is the Prize Money for ATP Finals 2025?

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