Key Highlights
- Aryna Sabalenka dominated Jasmine Paolini with 11 aces in a crushing victory.
- Coco Gauff lost to Jessica Pegula after recording 17 double faults and making 75 unforced errors.
- Sabalenka won her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open in September.
- Pegula overcame Gauff in a tough three-set match, winning 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-2.
WTA Finals 2025: Sabalenka and Pegula Triumph Over Gauff
The WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw two contrasting performances as top players battled it out for supremacy. Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka displayed dominance over her Italian opponent Jasmine Paolini, while American Coco Gauff struggled against Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka’s Impressive Victory
World number one and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka showcased her exceptional skills with a powerful performance. She defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-1 in an emphatic display, hitting 11 aces and winning 66% of first-serve points. The Belarusian also produced 24 winners, outmuscling the agile Paolini who is competing in both singles and doubles tournaments.
“I’m getting better and better every day,” Sabalenka stated after her victory. “It’s great to be back playing at this level again.” Sabalenka’s win was her 60th of the year, with 12 victories over top-10 opponents in total. She has spent 63 weeks as world number one, including a streak of 55 consecutive weeks since October last year.
Gauff’s Difficult Day
In stark contrast, French Open champion Coco Gauff faced significant challenges against fellow American Jessica Pegula. Gauff, who has won nine WTA singles titles on hard courts, struggled with consistency throughout the match. She recorded 17 double faults and made 75 unforced errors as she lost to Pegula in a three-set thriller.
The first set saw five consecutive breaks of serve between the players, with Pegula holding for a 4-2 lead before breaking Gauff for a fourth time.
Gauff managed to break at the start of the second but faltered again when she was broken back on a double fault and then again after hitting three consecutive double faults. Despite resetting admirably in the tie-break, Gauff’s errors proved too costly as Pegula sealed victory.
Pegula won the match 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 after two hours and 15 minutes of intense play. The American capitalized on her opportunities to secure a well-deserved win over Gauff, who has been in good form this season with two titles.
Other Notable Matches
The day’s events also saw third seeds Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski begin their doubles campaign with a victory. The New Zealand and Canadian duo beat Russians Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 6-3 7-6 (7-2). Meanwhile, Taylor Townsend and Katarina Siniakova overcame a second-set wobble to defeat Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani 6-2 3-6 10-6.
Elsewhere, Victoria Mboko of Canada secured her second title of the season with a victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the Hong Kong Open.
The 19-year-old continued her breakthrough year with a 7-5 6-7 (9-11) 6-2 win.
The WTA Finals continues to showcase top talent and intense competition, with more matches scheduled throughout the week. Fans can stay updated on scores, results, and order of play through official channels.
