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The 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh will begin on November 1 at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, featuring the season’s top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams. In celebration of the WTA Rankings’ 50th anniversary, each of the four tournament groups—two for singles and two for doubles—has been named in honor of players who have spent the most weeks as WTA world No. 1. The draw ceremony has unveiled the exciting matchups that await fans at this prestigious season-ending event.
The WTA Finals Singles Groups
Stefanie Graf group
Aryna Sabalenka (1) – 2022 finalist, making her fifth WTA Finals appearanceCoco Gauff (3) – defending champion, competing in her third WTA FinalsJessica Pegula (5) – 2023 finalist, appearing for the fourth timeJasmine Paolini (8) – making her second WTA Finals appearance
Serena Williams Singles Group:
Iga Swiatek (2) – 2023 champion, making her fifth WTA Finals appearanceAmanda Anisimova (4) – tournament debutantElena Rybakina (6) – competing in her third WTA FinalsMadison Keys (7) – making her second WTA Finals appearance
Mirra Andreeva and Ekaterina Alexandrova will serve as the first and second alternates, respectively. Andreeva will also take part in the doubles competition after qualifying with her partner, Diana Shnaider.
The WTA Finals Doubles Groups
Martina Navratilova Doubles Group
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini (1)Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko (6) – Hsieh was the 2013 champion alongside Peng ShuaiVeronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens (4) – 2023 championsAsia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs (8)
Liezel Huber Doubles Group
Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend (2) – Siniakova won the doubles title in 2021 alongside Barbora KrejcikovaMirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider (5)Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe (3) – defending championsTimea Babos and Luisa Stefani (7) – Babos is a three-time WTA Finals champion (2017–2019), winning twice with Kristina Mladenovic and once with Andrea Sestini Hlavackova
Each round-robin victory earns a player three points. If two players finish the group stage tied, the winner of their head-to-head match advances. In the case of a three-way tie, the standings are determined by the number of matches played, followed by total sets won and total games won.
The top two players from each group move on to the semifinals, where group winners face the second-place finishers from the opposite group. Both the semifinals and final are played in a single-elimination format. The doubles competition follows the same structure.
When play begins on Saturday, it will mark the second edition of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, held as part of a three-year partnership between the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF). Last year’s inaugural event made history as the first professional women’s tennis tournament ever staged in Saudi Arabia.
The singles champion stands to earn up to 1,500 PIF WTA Ranking points for an undefeated run, with total prize money reaching a record $15.5 million.
Marija Zivlak is the founder and editor-in-chief of Women’s Tennis Blog, a trusted source for in-depth coverage of the WTA Tour, tennis fashion, and player insights. Based in Belgrade, Serbia, she has been reporting on women’s tennis for over 18 years and has contributed exclusive fashion articles to the official WTA website.
Marija launched Women’s Tennis Blog on March 31, 2007 to provide fans with accurate, engaging, and up-to-date tennis news. Her expertise and deep connections within the sport allow her to offer unique perspectives on tennis trends, gear, and events.
