Calmer Aryna Sabalenka sets sights on WTA Finals crown
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Belarus' world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (above) opens her 2025 WTA Finals campaign against Jasmine Paolini of Italy on Nov 2 at King Saud University Sports Arena in Riyadh.
PHOTO: AFP
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RIYADH – Aryna Sabalenka says learning to control her emotions has been her biggest lesson this season and she will be looking to channel that calmness in her bid for a maiden WTA Finals crown in Riyadh.
The 27-year-old Belarusian has secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for a second consecutive season, thanks to a strong 2025 campaign that saw her clinch four titles from eight finals reached.
After suffering heartbreaking defeats in the finals of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, Sabalenka rebounded by lifting a fourth Grand Slam trophy at the US Open in September.
“There was terrible control over my emotions,” said Sabalenka, looking back at her losses to Madison Keys in Melbourne and Coco Gauff in Paris.
“I think the main lesson that I learnt is that no matter what, doesn’t matter how I feel, how frustrated I am inside, I still have to try to stay calm and try to think clear, just try to focus on the plan that I have for the match. No matter what, stay in control.”
Sabalenka landed in the Stefanie Graf group for the 2025 WTA Finals alongside defending champion Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula.
The Finals kicked off at King Saud University Sports Arena on Nov 1 – with world No. 2 Iga Swiatek defeating seventh-ranked Keys 6-1, 6-2 in the Serena Williams group – and will end on Nov 8.
“It’s easier when you qualify early in the season but I’m super excited,” said Sabalenka, who punched her ticket to the WTA Finals in July.
“Honestly, I cannot wait to get back. I love that place, I love to play there, and I hope that this year I can do better than I did last year.”
The top seed says she had an “intense” and “amazing” training block in Dubai for this season-ending event and is ready for her opener against eighth-ranked Paolini on Nov 2.
In October, Sabalenka got a chance to practise with Novak Djokovic in Greece, where they also went on a double date with their partners.
She has had multiple conversations with Djokovic in recent years and says he helped her gain perspective both on and off the court.
“How to stay settled and how to look at everything as you’re looking from the outside on the situation on the court, off the court. Just to, like, be able to sit back and look at everything,” she explained.
“Kind of like it’s not you looking, it’s someone else looking at your situation. I think that’s the best lesson that you could take from Novak.”
Martina Navratilova said Sabalenka’s sustained high-level performances made her the favourite in the eight-player line-up.
“Her consistency is not to be underestimated,” 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Navratilova told the WTA website.
“There are so many players you can lose to these days, you have to be on your game at all times, and she was.”
In the men’s game, Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the final of the Paris Masters, beating Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in the semi-finals on Nov 1.
In the process, the Canadian world No. 10 leapfrogged Italy’s eighth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti to book the final spot for the season-ending ATP Finals.
Auger-Aliassime will face world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the Nov 3 final at Paris La Defense Arena. The Italian hammered third-ranked Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-0, 6-1 in their semi-final.
Said Auger-Aliassime: “I’m so happy. A Masters 1000 final sounds really good. You don’t play those finals every week... I have deep self confidence in my game. I know what I can do against the best players in the world.” AFP, REUTERS
