The 2025 WTA Finals promise a blockbuster close to the season, gathering eight of the year’s most accomplished players for one final showdown. The competition runs 1–8 November in Riyadh, and with every champion of 2025’s Grand Slams in the field, the quality couldn’t be higher.
Prize Money
The official prize pool is yet to be confirmed, but following last year’s record-breaking figure, expectations are that the 2025 edition will stay in the same financial stratosphere.
How They Qualified
It’s been a year defined by resurgence, breakthroughs, and consistency. Each of the top eight earned her spot the hard way: by winning or grinding through the tour’s toughest events.
- January: Madison Keys clinched her return to the WTA Finals in style, winning the Australian Open and setting the tone for a remarkable comeback season.
- June: Coco Gauff defended American pride with her second Roland-Garros title, qualifying midway through the season and returning as the reigning WTA Finals champion.
- July: Iga Swiatek lifted the Wimbledon trophy, adding grass-court dominance to her growing résumé and confirming her ticket for Riyadh.
- September: Aryna Sabalenka powered to the US Open crown sealing qualification with authority.
- October: Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, and Elena Rybakina rounded out the field during the Asian and indoor swings, each finding enough late-season form to book a spot in the top eight.
Alternates: Mirra Andreeva and Ekaterina Alexandrova will travel as reserves, ready to step in if any main contender withdraws.
The Setup and Schedule
The draw is expected on 30 October, with group play from 1–6 November. The top two players from each group advance to the semi-finals on 7 November, followed by the final on 8 November. The week will serve as a fitting finale before the brief off-season break ahead of 2026.
Our WTA Finals 2025 Predictions
As of late, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini lead the form charts heading in—despite not being the bookmakers’ top picks. Most oddsmakers have Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek listed as the betting favorites heading into Riyadh, based on pedigree and major titles.
But from a performance standpoint, two others have been hungrier and sharper lately. They had to also, in order to qualify.
Rybakina has looked polished, composed, and quietly ruthless in both Ningbo and Tokyo. Her balance of first-strike power and tactical poise makes her the player to beat indoors. Paolini, meanwhile, has carried her breakthrough momentum all year. Her court coverage, clean shot selection, and mental steadiness have made her one of the tour’s most dependable closers—traits that often decide tight round-robin matches.
In short, while the Vegas line tilts toward Sabalenka, Gauff, and Swiatek, we think the momentum belongs to Rybakina and Paolini.
Check out also Martina Navratilova’s Predictions
Our Dark Horse
Amanda Anisimova has the type of game that can explode in short bursts—an essential ingredient in the Finals format. Her timing, compact aggression, and renewed confidence after reaching two Grand Slam finals make her the tournament’s wildcard threat. If she settles quickly, she could run deep into the weekend. And should she disappoint, there’s still Jessica Pegula, moving in with an improved game.
The Bigger Picture
Gauff returns as defending champion with expectations to match, while Sabalenka’s power always keeps her in contention when her rhythm clicks. Swiatek, though less dominant this year, remains capable of peaking at will. Keys’ resurgence has been one of the season’s feel-good stories, adding experience and grit to a draw already brimming with narratives. But make no mistake, we will see eight happy faces in Riyadh.
The WTA Finals rarely disappoint—and with this blend of champions, comeback stories, and rising stars Anisimova and Paolini, Riyadh 2025 could deliver one of the most interesting editions in years.
To the Rulebook of the WTA Finals