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Under the floodlights of the WTA Finals, Aryna Sabalenka found herself in familiar territory—locked in a tense battle that tested every ounce of her power, patience, and poise. Across the net stood America’s Amanda Anisimova, a player whose fearless shot-making had turned the match into a high-octane contest worthy of the season’s grand stage. From the very first point, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a straightforward night for either of these players. Neither of them showed any intention of giving up. But how did Sabalenka manage to seal this incredible, hard-fought victory? It took Sabalenka 2 hours and 21 minutes to win this epic SF clash by 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Having won 13 consecutive three-setters, Anisimova looked well poised to continue this streak, but the world number one had other ideas this time. After securing her fifth win (in eleven meetings) against the American, Sabalenka decoded her secret to success against a relentless Anisimova. In her post-match interview with Sky Sports, Sabalenka admitted, “That was a fight. She played incredible tennis. I have to say I felt that was incredible tennis from both players. In the second set, at some points, I was thinking there was nothing I could do. She was going for her shots, playing incredible tennis.” In that vulnerable moment, Aryna Sabalenka reached into the well of experience that champions often draw from when the scoreboard tilts against them. Instead of panicking, she reframed the pressure. ADVERTISEMENT “At some point, I just told myself, come on, Aryna, enjoy the fight, enjoy this moment. This is everything you have been working for, and the very last push of the season. Just enjoy it and don’t get overstressed. I think that mentality really helped me in the third set. With that ball, there is not much you can do; you have to block and put it back on her, and then the game turns into who is going to shake. Whenever I had an opportunity, I was trying to play with more spin and more touch, but against Amanda [Anisimova], there are not many opportunities,” she added. With this win, Aryna Sabalenka has now become the fourth player since 2000 to reach 9+ WTA Finals as world number one in a single calendar year, and guess what? Only Venus Williams (3) has made more finals at the WTA Finals than Sabalenka (2) among current players. ADVERTISEMENT Although she is “super happy” with this win against Anisimova, she also admitted that she wouldn’t care if she had lost this match, because she thought they played an incredible match and both of them deserved to be in the final. This year, Amanda Anisimova has proven that she very much belongs where she is currently in the WTA Tour. Ranked fourth in the world, Anisimova has not only won two titles this season, but she has also reached the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. With a win-loss record of 45-17, this is surely a stepping stone to much better days in her tennis career. In fact, Anisimova was the only player able to defeat each of the 2025 women’s singles Grand Slam champions this year. Quite exceptional, isn’t it? For Aryna Sabalenka, this victory was more than just another win at the WTA Finals—it was a testament to growth, patience, and the quiet strength that fuels her fiery game. Next up for her is another mighty challenger, Elena Rybakina. What did she say about that challenge, though? ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Aryna Sabalenka pledges to “fight for every point” in the final As the lights dim over the electric arena in Riyadh, Aryna Sabalenka stands just one match away from capping off a season defined by resilience, grit, and unrelenting belief. The Belarusian powerhouse, who has bulldozed through some of the toughest opponents in women’s tennis this year, now faces one final test—Elena Rybakina, a player whose poise and power have earned her a reputation as one of the most dangerous rivals on Tour. For Sabalenka, this isn’t just another final; it’s a promise to herself and to the game. After missing out on the chance to win her first WTA Finals title in 2022 against Carolina Garcia, Sabalenka looks desperate to give her best in her second attempt. This will be her 14th meeting with Elena Rybakina, and although she has an 8-5 edge over the Kazakh star, Sabalenka says, “It’s going to be another powerful game.” This will be the first final at the WTA Finals to be a rematch of a Grand Slam final since Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova’s epic showdown in 2012. ADVERTISEMENT Moreover, Sabalenka is the third player to reach the final at the WTA Finals as world number one in the last 10 years. Whoever wins this match will take home a staggering $5.23 million as the prize money, the largest payout in women’s sports history. Speaking about her next opponent, Sabalenka went on to add, “I feel like today was great preparation for Elena. I’m looking forward to leaving everything I have in the last match of the season and fighting for this beautiful trophy. I’ll definitely go out there tomorrow and fight for every point.” This will be Elena Rybakina’s maiden appearance at the WTA Finals. So, when she was asked what it would mean to her to be able to win this title after such a tough season, she said, “It would be amazing. It’s not easy at all to lose in the final, even though you came to the end. There are so many tough opponents. Whoever wins this match, it’ll be a really, really tough battle. I will just try to do my best and give it all. We will see what’s gonna happen.” So, fasten your seatbelts for yet another blockbuster showdown. But who is your pick in this match?
