It all comes down to this. After a week of blazing serves, brutal rallies, and late-night drama under the Riyadh lights, the 2025 WTA Finals have reached their crescendo. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina — two of the most commanding ball-strikers in the modern game — face off for the season’s ultimate crown and the biggest payday in women’s tennis history: a record $5.25 million for the unbeaten champion. Power, poise, and pride collide in the desert as fire meets ice one last time this season.
Navratilova Leading The Roll of Honor
Over five decades of WTA Finals history, only a handful of women have truly conquered this stage. Martina Navratilova leads the roll of honor with eight titles, her name synonymous with dominance in the 1980s. Serena Williams follows with five, spanning an era of enduring brilliance, while Steffi Graf and Monica Seles each lifted the trophy three times. Icons like Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Chris Evert, and Iga Swiatek have all had their moments at the summit.
Below, we’ve listed every WTA Finals singles champion and runner-up from 1972 to 2024 — a complete chronicle of those who turned a season of excellence into one defining triumph.
WTA Finals Singles Champions and Runners-up (1972–2024)
1972 Chris Evert (USA) def. Kerry Melville (AUS) 7–5, 6–4
1973 Chris Evert (USA) def. Nancy Richey Gunter (USA) 6–3, 6–3
1974 Evonne Goolagong (AUS) def. Chris Evert (USA) 6–3, 6–4
1975 Chris Evert (USA) def. Martina Navratilova (CZE) 6–4, 6–2
1976 Evonne Goolagong Cawley (AUS) def. Chris Evert (USA) 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
1977 Chris Evert (USA) def. Sue Barker (GBR) 2–6, 6–1, 6–1
1978 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Evonne Gool. Cawley (AUS) 7–6(7–2), 6–4
1979 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Tracy Austin (USA) 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1980 Tracy Austin (USA) def. Martina Navratilova (USA) 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
1981 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Andrea Jaeger (USA) 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
1982 Sylvia Hanika (GER) def. Martina Navratilova (USA) 1–6, 6–3, 6–4
1983 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Chris Evert (USA) 6–2, 6–0
Best-of-Five-Sets Era in WTA Finals
1984 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Chris Evert (USA) 6–3, 7–5, 6–1
1985 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Helena Suková (CZE) 6–3, 7–5, 6–4
1986 Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Hana Mandlíková (CZE) 6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1986 (Nov.) Martina Navratilova (USA) def. Steffi Graf (GER) 7–6(8–6), 6–3, 6–2
1987 Steffi Graf (GER) def. Gabriela Sabatini (ARG) 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–4
1988 Gabriela Sabatini (ARG) def. Pam Shriver (USA) 7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1989 Steffi Graf (GER) def. Martina Navratilova (USA) 6–4, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1990 Monica Seles (YUG) def. Gabriela Sabatini (ARG) 6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1991 Monica Seles (YUG) def. Martina Navratilova (USA) 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–0
1992 Monica Seles (YUG) def. Martina Navratilova (USA) 7–5, 6–3, 6–1
1993 Steffi Graf (GER) def. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP) 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1
1994 Gabriela Sabatini (ARG) def. Lindsay Davenport (USA) 6–3, 6–2, 6–4
1995 Steffi Graf (GER) def. Anke Huber (GER) 6–1, 2–6, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3
1996 Steffi Graf (GER) def. Martina Hingis (SUI) 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0
1997 Jana Novotná (CZE) def. Mary Pierce (FRA) 7–6(7–4), 6–2, 6–3
1998 Martina Hingis (SUI) def. Lindsay Davenport (USA) 7–5, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Return of Best-of-Three-Sets
1999 Lindsay Davenport (USA) def. Martina Hingis (SUI) 6–4, 6–2
2000 Martina Hingis (SUI) def. Monica Seles (USA) 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–4
2001 Serena Williams (USA) def. Lindsay Davenport (USA) walkover
2002 Kim Clijsters (BEL) def. Serena Williams (USA) 7–5, 6–3
2003 Kim Clijsters (BEL) def. Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 6–2, 6–0
2004 Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Serena Williams (USA) 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
2005 Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) def. Mary Pierce (FRA) 5–7, 7–6(7–3), 6–4
2006 Justine Henin (BEL) def. Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 6–4, 6–3
2007 Justine Henin (BEL) def. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 5–7, 7–5, 6–3
2008 Venus Williams (USA) def. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6–7(5–7), 6–0, 6–2
2009 Serena Williams (USA) def. Venus Williams (USA) 6–2, 7–6(7–4)
2010 Kim Clijsters (BEL) def. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
2011 Petra Kvitová (CZE) def. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
2012 Serena Williams (USA) def. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 6–4, 6–3
2013 Serena Williams (USA) def. Li Na (CHN) 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
2014 Serena Williams (USA) def. Simona Halep (ROU) 6–3, 6–0
2015 Agnieszka Radwańska (POL) def. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
2016 Dominika Cibulková (SVK) def. Angelique Kerber (GER) 6–3, 6–4
2017 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) def. Venus Williams (USA) 6–4, 6–4
2018 Elina Svitolina (UKR) def. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3–6, 6–2, 6–2
2019 Ashleigh Barty (AUS) def. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 6–4, 6–3
2020 No competition due to COVID-19
2021 Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) def. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6–3, 7–5
2022 Caroline Garcia (FRA) def. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 7–6(7–4), 6–4
2023 Iga Świątek (POL) def. Jessica Pegula (USA) 6–1, 6–0
2024 Coco Gauff (USA) def. Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–2)
2025 Aryna Sabalenka or Elena Rybakina
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Wimbledon Women’s Singles Champions & Finalists: Full Open Era Winners List (1968–2025)
US Open Women’s Singles Champions & Finalists: Full Open Era Winners List (since 1968)