The 2025 WTA Tour season is slowly coming to a close, with just one big event left to play this season.
That is, of course, the WTA Finals, which will be held in Riyadh for the second straight year after hosting the year-end championships for the first time in 2024.
The field for the 2025 WTA Finals is now set, and action in the Saudi capital gets underway in just over a week, with plenty at stake in one of the biggest events on the calendar. Here, we take you through all you need to know ahead of the tournament.
Who is in action?
With Elena Rybakina having beaten Victoria Mboko in the Pan Pacific Open quarter-finals on Friday, the field is now set.
The Kazakh took the final spot in the ‘Elite 8’ ahead of Mirra Andreeva thanks to her run, becoming the final qualifier for the year-end showpiece.
Leading the WTA Race to Riyadh is world No 1 and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, followed by No 2 and Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek.
A quartet of US women then follows, with No 3 qualifier being French Open champion Coco Gauff, followed by No 4 Amanda Anisimova, No 5 Jessica Pegula, and No 6 Madison Keys — the Australian Open champion
Rybakina is currently the No 7 qualifier, though she will move above Keys if she reaches the Tokyo final, with Jasmine Paolini the No 8 qualifier, having been knocked down one place by the Kazakh on Friday.
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1) Aryna Sabalenka, 9,990
2) Iga Swiatek, 8,303
3) Coco Gauff 6,573
4) Amanda Anisimova, 5,897
5) Jessica Pegula, 5,183
6) Madison Keys, 4,395
7) Elena Rybakina, 4,350
8) Jasmine Paolini, 4,325
Who are the reserves?
Traditionally, two reserves are in place in case one or more players pull out mid-event due to injury or illness.
This proved to be the case in 2024, when Daria Kasatkina took the place of Jessica Pegula after the American withdrew from her final round-robin match due to injury.
Having qualified for the doubles event, No 9 Andreeva will be in Riyadh and will likely take the first reserve spot, with No 10 Ekaterina Alexandrova likely to take the second reserve position.
What is the format?
The ‘Elite 8’ will be split into two groups of four, with the groups split based on respective ranking positions.
The No 1 and No 2 players will be drawn into differing groups, as will the No 3 and No 4, No 5 and No 6, and No 7 and No 8 players, ensuring the groups are as fair and balanced as possible.
Every player will then play three round-robin matches, earning three points per win, with the two top players after all three rounds of matches will then progress to the semi-finals.
Should players be tied on points, the winner of the match between those two players will progress; if it is a three-way tie, it will boil down to matches played, then sets won, then games won.
In the semi-finals, both group winners will play the respective runners-up from the opposing group, with the winner of each semi-final then meeting in the championship match.
What ranking points are on offer?
A total of 1,500 ranking points are on offer for any player who completes the tournament unbeaten, winning all three group matches and then the title overall.
A round-robin win is worth 200 points, meaning a player will earn 200 points if they win one match, 400 points if they win two matches, and 600 points if they win all three group matches.
A further 400 points are handed to the two victorious semi-finalists, with a further 500 points handed to the woman who wins the final and takes home the title.
In 2024, champion Gauff took home 1,300 points, lifting the title after a 2-1 group stage record.
What prize money is on offer?
As of yet, a full prize money breakdown is not yet on offer for the tournament.
However, there is a prize money commitment of $15,500,000, up slightly from the $15,250,000 on offer in 2024.
Each of the eight singles players will receive a base appearance fee — in 2024, this was $335,000 — and will then add to their prize money per round-robin win.
There is no additional prize money for reaching the semi-final, but the champion and runner-up will receive additional winnings for reaching the final.
Last year, an unbeaten champion would have earned themselves a staggering $5,155,000.
Key dates
Action takes place in Riyadh between November 1-8, with the draw likely to take place on October 30th.
November 1-6 will see the round-robin action take place, with the two groups competing across alternate days from Saturday to Thursday.
The two semi-finals will then take place on Friday, November 7th, with the final on Saturday, November 8th.
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The post WTA Finals: Complete Field, Key Dates, Prize Money, Ranking Points – Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff star appeared first on Tennis365.
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