Rybakina to Face Szabalenka in WTA Finals Championship Match
Cancún, Mexico – Jelena Rybakina of Kazakhstan secured her place in the WTA Finals championship match Saturday, overcoming a one-set deficit to defeat fifth-ranked American Jessica Pegula 6:4, 4:6, 6:3 in a 2-hour, 7-minute semifinal. She will face top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who also battled through three sets to defeat American Amanda Anisimova 6:3, 3:6, 6:3 in a match lasting even longer.
This year’s WTA Finals marks the 14th career meeting between Rybakina and Sabalenka, with Sabalenka currently leading the head-to-head record 8-5. The tournament pits the two group leaders against each other, guaranteeing a champion with a perfect record through the championship. The upcoming final is notable as it will mark the 11th consecutive year with a new singles champion at the WTA Finals,following the early exits of previous winners Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
The championship match will feature two players who have recently met at the last three Grand Slam tournaments. rybakina’s victory ensures she maintains a 100% win record at this year’s WTA Finals.
Beyond the singles final, Hungary will also be represented on Saturday, with Timea Babos and Brazilian Luisa Stefani competing in the doubles final at 2 p.m. Hungarian time.
WTA Finals,World Tennis championship,Women’s Singles,Semifinals:
* Jelena Rybakina (Kazakh,6th)-Jessica Pegula (American,5th) 6:4,4:6,6:3
* Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus,1st)-Amanda Anisimova (american,4th) 6:3,3:6,6:3
