Aryna Sabalenka began her campaign at the WTA Finals tennis tournament on Monday with a hard-fought straight-sets victory of 7-6, 7-5 against Karolina Muchova. The former world number one secured the win after a tense battle that lasted for one hour and 53 minutes. Following this opening success, her next fixture in the tournament will be against the third-seeded Mirra Andreeva.
Out of Top Ranking Race
Occupying the second spot in the world rankings, Aryna Sabalenka is set to finish the season without a single Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022. She has also fallen out of the race for the year-end WTA number one ranking. Even though her rival Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals due to a viral illness, Aryna Sabalenka will not be able to claim the top position.
Chasing the Season-Ending Title
Despite missing out on the top ranking, the 28-year-old Aryna Sabalenka still has an opportunity to capture her maiden title at the tour's culminating event. She previously finished as the runner-up at the tournament in both 2022 and 2025, and she will now aim to go one step further this time.
