Elena Rybakina downs Aryna Sabalenka, wins WTA Finals title: Stats
What's the story
Elena Rybakina took down world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the summit clash of the WTA Finals on Saturday. The women's singles final match in Riyadh saw Rybakina win in straight sets. She took the first set 6-3 before claiming the 2nd 7-6(7-0). This is Rybakina's maiden WTA Finals honor as Sabalenka suffered her 2nd defeat in this tournament's final. Here's more.
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Big gain for Rybakina
As per WTA, the winner has closed out 2025 with a whopping $5.23 million in prize money in addition to 1,500 rankings points. This is also a massive title to end the season.
100% record
Rybakina finishes tournament with 100% win record
Rybakina started her WTA Finals 2025 journey with a win over Amanda Anisimova. She won 6-3, 6-1. This was followed by two more wins in the group stage. She overcame Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. It was followed by a win over Ekaterina Alexandrova (6-4, 6-4). In the semis, Rybakina beat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. And now, she tamed Sabalenka in straight sets.
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6th win for Rybakina over Sabalenka
The two players faced each other for the 14th time on the WTA Tour. Sabalenka lost her 6th match against Rybakina. She owns 8 wins in this rivalry.
Records
Sabalenka makes these records by finishing as world number 1
As per Opta, since 1990, Sabalenka (2025) is now the fifth player to hold the WTA No. 1 ranking for an entire calendar year after Steffi Graf (1990, 1994), Monica Seles (1992), Serena Williams (2014-15) and Ashleigh Barty (2020-21). She spent 52 weeks as world number one in the WTA Rankings this year.
Opta stats
Rybakina attains these feats
Rybakina is the first player to defeat both Sabalenka and Swiatek at multiple WTA-level events, after previously achieving the feat en route to the title at Indian Wells in 2023. Rybakina claimed a tiebreak to love for just the second time in her career at WTA level. Before this she won 6-4, 7-6(0) against Elina Avanesyan in Rome (R64) in 2022.
Information
Here we look at the match stats
Rybakina doled out 13 aces compared to Sabalenka's 5. The former committed two double faults with Sabalenka going unscathed in this regard. Rybakina fired 36 winners to Sabelenka's 12. In terms of unforced errors, Sabalenka made 26 to Rybakina's 12.