The draw for this year’s WTA Finals round-robin stage has been revealed, with two Grand Slam final rematches from 2025 set for the opening stage of the year-end championships in Riyadh.
Action in Riyadh gets underway this coming Saturday, with this year’s groups named after tennis icons Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.
And Group Steffi Graf is set to be headlined by current world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has been handed an intriguing set of matches as she attempts to win the title for the first time.
The Belarusian is set to face third seed and defending WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff, in what would be their first meeting since the American prevailed in the French Open final.
Gauff also beat Sabalenka in the semi-final of this event last year on her way to the title, and has an overall 6-5 lead in their head-to-head.
French Open champion Gauff and US Open champion Sabalenka are joined in their group by fifth seed and 2023 WTA Finals runner-up Jessica Pegula, who recently faced both women at the Wuhan Open.
Rounding out the group is eighth seed Jasmine Paolini, who is the only woman to have qualified for both the singles and doubles this year.
The Italian will look to progress out of the round-robin stage in singles for the first time, having exited in the group stage on her event debut twelve months ago.
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The Serena Williams Group is set to be headlined by second seed and 2023 WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion.
Having been knocked out of the tournament in the group stage last year, the Pole will be looking for a stronger campaign in 2025.
Swiatek is set for a rematch against fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, who is making her debut at the year-end championships this season.
The Pole famously double bagelled Anisimova in the Wimbledon final back in July, though the American turned the tables with victory in the US Open quarter-final this September.
Also joining Swiatek and Anisimova is sixth seed Elena Rybakina, who will be looking to make the knockout stages for the first time after round-robin exits in both 2023 and 2024.
Rounding out the group is seventh seed Madison Keys, who will be in action for the first time since the US Open.
Keys memorably beat all of Rybakina, Swiatek, and Sabalenka on her way to the Australian Open title back in January, and is back at the WTA Finals for the first time since 2016.
Steffi Graf Group
1) Aryna Sabalenka
3) Coco Gauff
5) Jessica Pegula
8) Jasmine Paolini
Serena Williams Group
2) Iga Swiatek
4) Amanda Anisimova
6) Elena Rybakina
7) Madison Keys
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