The season-ending women’s tennis tournament — the WTA Finals 2025 — has concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the final match, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina defeated the world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus with a score of 6–3, 7–6 (7–0), achieving one of the biggest victories of her career, reports Adyrna.
This triumph earned Rybakina 1,500 ranking points and a record prize of 5.235 million USD. As a result, she will rise to fifth place in the updated world rankings to be published on November 10, 2025.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1972, Rybakina has become the first tennis player from Asia to win the WTA Finals. Previously, China’s Li Na (2013) and Zheng Qinwen (2024) had reached the final but did not claim the title.
In 2025, Rybakina also became the first player to hit over 500 aces in a single season — a feat previously achieved only by Karolína Plíšková in 2016. She is also the only player this season to win seven consecutive matches against opponents ranked in the world’s top 10.
To date, Elena Rybakina holds 11 WTA titles, including two WTA 1000 trophies and one Grand Slam title (Wimbledon 2022), making her the first Kazakhstani player to achieve such success in singles.
Presidential Congratulations
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Elena Rybakina on her historic victory, praising her contribution to national sports and Kazakhstan’s global image. The Head of State signed a decree awarding her the “Barys” Order, Third Class.
“In recognition of your remarkable victory, your contribution to the development of tennis, and your efforts in promoting this sport in our country, I have signed a decree awarding you the Third Class ‘Barys’ Order,” the President said in his congratulatory message.
Elena Rybakina’s victory marks a new milestone for Kazakhstani tennis and stands as a significant event enhancing the prestige of national sports on the world stage.
