Rybakina perfect in group play, defending champion Gauff faces complex qualification test on final day
The WTA Finals in Riyadh are reaching the decisive stage, with Elena Rybakina the only player already assured of a place in the semifinals after finishing group play unbeaten. The remaining three spots will be decided after the last round-robin matches, with the defending champion Coco Gauff facing a challenging qualification scenario in her final group game.
Rybakina booked her semifinal ticket Wednesday, beating Ekaterina Alexandrova to finish 3-0 in the Serena Williams group. She is joined in the group by Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova and alternates after Madison Keys withdrew due to illness. Anisimova and Swiatek will play each other in a winner-takes-all match that will determine which of them joins Rybakina in the semifinals.
In the other group, Aryna Sabalenka leads the standings after surviving a three-set battle with Jessica Pegula, but the situation is full of permutations. Sabalenka, Gauff and Pegula are all in contention ahead of the final round. Gauff must face Sabalenka in a crucial match, while Pegula plays the already-eliminated Jasmine Paolini.
The qualification scenarios are as follows: if both Sabalenka and Pegula win, they will reach the semifinals; if Pegula wins in three sets, Gauff can qualify by winning her match; if Pegula wins in two sets, Gauff’s hopes will depend on the number of sets she wins. Should Paolini manage an upset, Pegula is out unless the Italian wins in three and Sabalenka wins in two — in which case it would be Gauff who is eliminated.
All four Grand Slam singles champions of the year reached the WTA Finals: Madison Keys (Australian Open), Coco Gauff (French Open), Iga Swiatek (Wimbledon) and Aryna Sabalenka (US Open). The group stage has seen Gauff struggle with double faults and unforced errors but keep her semifinal prospects alive with a recent win over Paolini. Meanwhile, Pegula has shown resilience with a three-set victory against Gauff earlier in the round.
With prize money of more than fifteen million dollars and the year-end number one at stake for Sabalenka and Swiatek, the final group matches will set the stage for both the semifinals and a potential ranking shake-up. Rybakina’s surging form and a quarter packed with recent major winners ensure the remainder of the WTA Finals will be tense and unpredictable.
