Aryna Sabalenka failed in her quest to win the WTA Finals after losing to Elena Rybakina in the final.
Sabalenka progressed to the final with a win over Amanda Anisimova in the semifinal, but Rybakina offered more problems in the final.
Sabalenka was clearly frustrated after losing the final and demonstrated to her team, showcasing how upset she was to lose a big final.
The world number one has still had a wonderful season and she can look back on 2025 with a lot of fondness and a win at the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts after losing in the final of the WTA Finals
Sabalenka seems quite relaxed about her defeat and ultimately she can still take a lot from a dominant 2025 and go again next year when the tour gets into full swing again.
Tim Henman spotted something Sabalenka didn’t do very well against Rybakina and it won’t be a match that she needs to spend too much time watching back.
Sabalenka might have appeared upset and frustrated after losing to Rybakina but when the dust started to settle she came back down to earth to post a message to her fans on Instagram.
She said: “What a tournament. This wasn’t the outcome I was hoping for, but I’m grateful to have made it to the finals. Thank you to the fans for making me feel so welcome here. This stadium has such a special atmosphere. And thank you to my team, you all left me speechless on the court. But seriously, I’m really grateful for you all. We have so much to be proud of.”
Sabalenka will hope to rest well, get her recovery spot on and then come back next year determined to add to her haul of Grand Slams and continue winning trophies.
What Aryna Sabalenka has achieved in 2025
- Australian Open – F
- French Open – F
- Wimbledon – SF
- US Open – W
- Qatar Open – R2
- Dubai Championships – R3
- Indian Wells – F
- Miami Open – W
- Madrid Open – W
- Italian Open – QF
- Canadian Open – Didn’t play
- Cincinnati Open – QF
- China Open – Didn’t play
- Wuhan Open – SF
- WTA Finals – F
Sabalenka is very much the female tennis player to beat
When any player spends as long as Sabalenka has at world number one, it makes her very much the player to beat on the tour at the moment.
Sabalenka praised Rybakina after losing to her and this was a classy speech following a match in which she was largely outplayed.
Although there have been setbacks this year, it’s hard to imagine she will be too downbeat following a year that featured far more highs than lows.
It will be fascinating to see how Sabalenka bounces back, though and it remains to be seen if she can continue as the game’s major player in the big events.
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