Aryna Sabalenka's Dominant Display in Riyadh
In a thrilling encounter at the WTA Finals 2025, Aryna Sabalenka showcased her prowess and secured a decisive victory over Jasmine Paolini. This win not only solidified her position as the year-end world number one but also highlighted her remarkable journey to the top.
But here's where it gets controversial... Sabalenka, the US Open champion, dominated the match with her powerful serves, claiming a 6-3, 6-1 victory over the tired Italian. With this win, she achieved an impressive 60th victory of the year and extended her record to 12 wins against top-10 opponents.
The Belarusian has spent a total of 63 weeks at the pinnacle of women's tennis, including an impressive 55 consecutive weeks since last October. And this is the part most people miss: Sabalenka's journey to the top has been a steady climb, with her skills improving day by day, as she herself proclaimed.
"I'm getting better and better every day," Sabalenka shared, reflecting on her remarkable progress.
In the Stefanie Graf Group, defending champion Coco Gauff will face fellow American Jessica Pegula on Sunday, following the opening-day triumphs of Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka, who has qualified for the year-end Finals for five consecutive years, will aim to break her title drought. She was the runner-up to Caroline Garcia in 2022, a position she aims to improve upon.
The 29-year-old Sabalenka was simply unstoppable against Paolini, who is the only player competing in both the singles and doubles tournaments. Her performance was a showcase of precision and power, hitting 11 aces, winning an impressive 66% of first-serve points, and producing 24 winners to outclass the agile Paolini.
The match saw an intense battle in the first set, with both players trading breaks. However, Sabalenka's dominance grew as the match progressed, winning six consecutive games to take the opener and establishing a commanding 4-0 lead in the second set. Paolini managed to get on the board but couldn't match Sabalenka's powerful serves, which helped her hold on to her lead.
In other doubles action, third seeds Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski kicked off their campaign with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) victory over the Russian duo of Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider. Meanwhile, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko continued her remarkable year, winning the Hong Kong Open with a 7-5, 6-7 (9-11), 6-2 victory over Spain's Cristina Bucsa. This is Mboko's second title of the season, following her stunning triumph in Montreal in August.
As the WTA Finals 2025 unfolds, the stage is set for more thrilling encounters and potential upsets. Who will emerge as the ultimate champion? Will Sabalenka finally claim the title she's been chasing? The tennis world eagerly awaits the answers.
What's your take on Sabalenka's performance? Do you think she has what it takes to win the WTA Finals title this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
