We take a look at the season so far for the top eight WTA players this 12 months forward of the climax to the season arriving in November in the form of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, reside on Sky Sports Tennis.
Between November 2 and 9 the top eight girls’s players in the world will face off in Saudi Arabia, seeking to finish their seasons on a excessive.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek, Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, USA duo Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, China’s Zheng Qinwen and Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova have every certified.
We check out every of their seasons so far…
Iga Swiatek – Extra French Open glory, 4 WTA 1000 titles
The reigning WTA Finals champion is Poland’s Swiatek, and she or he has loved one other stellar 12 months, however when it comes to Grand Slam titles has solely the French Open to point out for her efforts in 2024.
The 23-year-old proved totally dominant on clay once more, defeating Paolini 6-2 6-1 in the French capital for her third Roland Garros championship win in succession.
Swiatek couldn’t repeat the trick at the similar venue for the Paris Olympic Video games in August, nevertheless, struggling a shock semi-final defeat to Qinwen, marking her first loss in Paris after 1149 days of staying undefeated. Swiatek would go on to win the bronze medal.
In any other case this 12 months, Swiatek impressively clinched 4 WTA 1000 titles, profitable at the Qatar Open, Indian Wells, Madrid Open and Italian Open.
When it comes to her efficiency at the different three Grand Slams, Swiatek suffered third-round exits at each the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and a quarter-final loss at the US Open.
In the closing of the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun, Swiatek dominated Pegula 6-1 6-0 to win and regain her world No 1 rating from Sabalenka. The Pole went 5-0 at the WTA tour’s season-closing championship, profitable all 10 units she performed and ceding a complete of simply 20 video games.
Such type was the fewest by the event’s winner since 2003, when it returned to a round-robin format. The earlier low in that point was the 34 video games dropped by Justine Henin in 2007.
Aryna Sabalenka – Australian Open, US Open Grand Slam success, two WTA 1000 titles
Sabalenka has loved a massively productive season up to now, clinching two of the 4 Grand Slam titles on provide.
The 26-year-old beat Qinwen for her second successive Australian Open title in January, and extra just lately beat Pegula to land her maiden US Open title in September.
Elsewhere in 2024, Sabalenka additionally clinched two WTA 1000 titles in the type of the Cincinnati Open and Wuhan Open, dropping an extra two finals – each to Swiatek – at the Madrid Open and Italian Open.
Sabalenka was compelled to drag out of Wimbledon this 12 months as a result of a shoulder harm picked up in Berlin, with the harm additionally inflicting her to overlook the Olympic Video games.
She was knocked out of the French Open at the quarter-final stage by Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Sabalenka has made the closing of the WTA Finals as soon as earlier than in 2022, dropping to France’s Caroline Garcia.
Jasmine Paolini – Two Grand Slam finals and a maiden WTA 1000 title
Regardless of being 28 years previous, 2024 was an actual breakout marketing campaign for Italian Paolini as she made two Grand Slam finals having beforehand solely made the second spherical of any, and secured her first WTA 1000 title.
Paolini broke new floor by making the fourth spherical of the Australian Open in January, after which made the finals of each the French Open and Wimbledon later in the 12 months, ending as runner-up to Swiatek and Krejcikova respectively.
In February, Paolini got here from a set all the way down to beat Anna Kalinskaya and clinch the Dubai Championships (WTA 1000).
She made the fourth spherical of the US Open too, dropping to the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova.
Qinwen Zheng – Olympic gold, Grand Slam finalist and WTA 1000 finalist too
China’s 22-year-old Qinwen is one other tennis star to have made a breakthrough marketing campaign, clinching a surprising Olympic Video games gold in Paris by beating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in straight units.
Qinwen beat Emma Navarro, Angelique Kerber – coming from a set all the way down to beat each – and Swiatek en path to the closing at Roland Garros.
Again in January, Qinwen additionally made her very first Grand Slam closing, taking place to Sabalenka at the Australian Open.
In the 12 months’s different Grand Slams, Qinwen was knocked out in the Wimbledon first spherical and French Open third spherical, however did put collectively a run to the US Open quarter-finals.
A maiden WTA 1000 title nonetheless alludes Qinwen, however she did just lately make her first closing at the Wuhan Open, dropping to Sabalenka.
Barbora Krejcikova – Wimbledon champion in opposition to the odds
The shock Grand Slam results of the season noticed the Czech Republic’s Krejcikova clinch her first-ever Wimbledon title, and solely the second Grand Slam of her profession following the 2021 French Open.
In any other case in 2024, the 28-year-old made the Australian Open quarter-finals, however suffered disappointing early exits at Roland Garros (first spherical) and the US Open (second spherical). She additionally made the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics.
Krejcikova qualifies regardless of sitting in the No 12 place on the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard. She secured her place in Riyadh as the highest ranked Grand Slam singles champion ending between No 8-20 on the leaderboard.
That is the first 12 months such a state of affairs is a qualification rule for the WTA, and it is the USA’s Emma Navarro – sat eighth in the Race to the WTA Finals checklist – who’s the unfortunate one to overlook out.
Jessica Pegula – Grand Slam finalist and WTA 1000 title
The USA’s Pegula broke new private floor this 12 months by making a Grand Slam closing for the very first time in her profession, dropping to Sabalenka in the US Open on house soil final month.
The 30-year-old additionally tasted WTA 1000 success in the form of defending her Canadian Open title (her third WTA 1000 success), beating Amanda Anisimova in the closing.
Pegula additionally made the Cincinnati Open closing, the place Sabalenka once more proved too powerful an opponent.
The different three Grand Slams proved disappointing for Pegula earlier in the 12 months, as she was knocked out at the second spherical of each the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and was compelled to withdraw from the French Open as a result of neck and again accidents.
Pegula confirmed her high quality to make the closing of the WTA Finals final season, however went down closely to Swiatek.
Coco Gauff – Grand Slam semi-finals and WTA 1000 title
It is arduous to consider the USA’s Gauff continues to be solely 20 years previous, however having tasted US Open title success in 2023, she fell in the fourth spherical in her defence this 12 months.
Elsewhere, Gauff did put collectively runs to the Australian Open and French Open semi-finals, whereas she misplaced in the fourth spherical at Wimbledon too.
She picked up the second WTA 1000 title of her profession by profitable the China Open in 2024, making an extra three WTA 1000 semi-finals.
Elena Rybakina – Wimbledon semi-final, two WTA 1000 finals
The 2022 Wimbledon champion, Kazakhstan’s Rybakina is the solely participant on the WTA Finals checklist of eight who didn’t win both a Grand Slam or WTA 1000 title this 12 months – with the exception being Qinwen Zheng, who secured Olympic gold.
Rybakina made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, and was favorite from that place to go on and clinch her second Grand Slam success, however was surprisingly overwhelmed by eventual winner Krejcikova.
Elsewhere, the 25-year-old was compelled to drag out of the US Open as a result of a decrease again harm, was overwhelmed by Paolini in the French Open quarter-finals, and suffered a second spherical exit at the Australian Open.
Rybakina made two WTA 1000 finals in 2024, dropping at the Qatar Open to Swiatek and Miami Open to American Danielle Collins.
The place is it being hosted?
Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh will host the WTA Finals for the top eight singles players and top eight doubles groups for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 tournaments.
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The girls’s skilled tennis tour introduced the three-year deal will see prize cash for this November’s event raised to $15.25m (£12m), a 70-per-cent improve from 2023.
Earlier hosts had been Cancun (2023), Fort Price (2022), Guadalajara (2021), Shenzhen (2019), Singapore (2014-2018), Istanbul (2011-2013), Doha (2008-2010), Madrid (2006-2007), Los Angeles (2002-2005, 1974-1976), Munich (2001), New York (1979-2000, 1977), Oakland (1978), Boca Raton (1972-1973).
What’s arising on Sky Sports Tennis in October?
- Hong Kong Tennis Open – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Jiangxi Open – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Merida Open Akron – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Rolex Paris Masters – ATP 1000 (October 28 – November 3)
- WTA Finals Riyadh – (November 2-9)
- Belgrade Open – ATP 250 (November 3-9)
- Moselle Open, Metz – ATP 250 (November 3-9)
- Nitto ATP Finals, Turin – (November 10-17)
Sky Sports+ has formally launched and will likely be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this 12 months at no additional price. Discover out extra right here.