WTA Finals 2025: Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula advance to semi-finals in Riyadh

Gauff, the French Open champion, did not commit many errors in the first set, but Sabalenka excelled in the tiebreaks, winning 22 of the 24 break games she has played this year.

Gauff’s serve, which has been an issue of late, held up very well in the first set – with 72% of her first serve, 62% of her first serve points and she won 70% of the points behind her second serve.

But she failed to serve the opener while leading 5-4 before committing her first double fault of the match, giving four-time singles champion Sabalenka two set points in the tie-break.

At the other end of the net, Sabalenka showed the full range of emotions as she twice recovered from a break; Frustration after losing a few points, despair after sending a backhand wide in the tiebreak, then celebration when she hit a powerful forehand to seal it.

Sabalenka quickly advanced 4-0 in the second set, and despite briefly recovering one of her breaks, she achieved the victory to remain on her way to her first title in the final tournament of the women’s tennis season.

Sabalenka qualified for the semi-finals for the fourth year in a row, but she reached the final only once, losing to Caroline Garcia in 2022.