Rybakina Upsets Sabalenka To Claim Record £4m Prize

Elena Rybakina claimed nan biggest payday successful women's tennis history by beating world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka successful consecutive sets successful nan WTA Finals.

The 26-year-old produced a stunning show to flooded four-time Grand Slam victor Sabalenka 6-3 7-6 (7-0) successful Saudi Arabia.

Because some players came done nan tourney undefeated, nan prize money connected connection was a record-breaking £3.98m - nan largest payout offering successful women's tennis history.

The prize money tops nan £3.74m Sabalenka, 27, earned for winning September's US Open, which was nan highest-paying Grand Slam successful 2025.

Rybakina, who was nan world number six, deed 16 winners during a ascendant first-set display.

The 2022 Wimbledon victor saved 2 break points earlier winning each 4 points successful nan sixth crippled to spell a break up and held her service to seal nan first set.

With nan 2nd group connected serve, Sabalenka saved 2 break points astatine 4-4 to plaything nan momentum successful her favour.

But, having worked truthful difficult to upset Rybakina's rhythm, Sabalenka fto her force disconnected nan hook by squandering 2 group points successful nan adjacent crippled to level nan 2nd group astatine 5-5.

Sabalenka's nonaccomplishment to level nan lucifer affected her tie-break performance, pinch Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, winning each 7 points to return location nan title.

The victory, Rybakina's sixth complete Sabalenka, intends nan she will move up 1 spot successful nan rankings to 5th successful nan world.

A distraught Sabalenka, of Belarus, appeared to beryllium successful tears arsenic she sat pinch her coaching squad soon aft nan match.