Year-end countdown: What are the best past achievements of the eight leading female players?

The roster for the 2025 Riyadh WTA Finals is confirmed, with this prestigious season finale scheduled for November 1-8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, featuring indoor hard court competition.

Among the women’s singles competitors, Sabalenka, the current world No. 1, has qualified for five consecutive years. However, despite being a four-time Grand Slam champion, the Belarusian star has yet to win this tournament. Her best result was runner-up in 2022, when she lost the final to French player Garcia.

Like Sabalenka, former world No. 1 from Poland, Swiatek, has also qualified for five straight years. Swiatek has won the WTA Finals before; in 2023, she advanced from the group stage, defeated Sabalenka in the semifinals, and then dominated Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

American player Gauff, though still young, has qualified for the WTA Finals four years in a row. This year, she returns to Riyadh as the defending champion, having won her first title at last year’s final by defeating Chinese player Zheng Qinwen.

Anisimova made a breakthrough in 2019 by reaching the Australian Open women's singles round of 16, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to do so. That year, she also reached the French Open semifinals and won her first career title in Bogotá. After several quiet seasons, Anisimova had a breakout year this season, capturing her first WTA 1000 title in Doha, reaching back-to-back finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, and winning the China Open for the first time. Her outstanding performance earned her a debut appearance at the WTA Finals.

Although American player Pegula has not had standout moments, her consistent and steady playing style has secured her a spot at the WTA Finals for four consecutive years. Her best finish was runner-up in 2023, when she lost to Sabalenka in the final.

Keys is the longest-tenured player among the participants. Back in 2016, she reached the fourth round in all four Grand Slams, won the Birmingham Classic, and finished runner-up at both the Italian Open and Rogers Cup, which led to her first WTA Finals qualification, where she went 1-2. This year, Keys returned to the Finals for the first time in nine years after winning the Australian Open early in the season.

Paolini and Rybakina’s best results at the WTA Finals so far have been group stage exits. Paolini has qualified for two consecutive years, while Rybakina has made it three years in a row. Notably, Rybakina clinched the final spot this year, edging out the early-season standout Andreescu. So, who do you think has the best chance to win the title this year?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)