The ultimate showdown for the ultimate crown in Riyadh.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 6 Elena Rybakina will collide in the battle of the unbeaten starlets at the 2025 WTA Finals summit clash in Riyadh. It is a longstanding rivalry with a colorful history – including three finals over the years. The winner of this encounter will get their hands on a maiden season-ending championship trophy. To know more about the current form, predictions and betting odds for the Sabalenka-Rybakina clash (via BetMGM), continue reading until the end.
The journey to the final has been far from straightforward for Aryna Sabalenka. The World No. 1 began with a comfortable victory over Jasmine Paolini, after which she dragged herself to the finish line against Jessica Pegula. In the final round robin match-up, the 27-year-old took out defending champion Coco Gauff. Coming to the semifinals, Sabalenka completed a hard fought 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Amanda Anisimova. With four titles and four finals to her name in 2025, she will enter the match as the favorite.
If there is anyone who can contend with the might of the Belarusian powerhouse, it has to be Elena Rybakina. The likes of Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula tried their luck against the 6th seed, but fell miserably short. Although the first half of the year wasn’t as profitable for Rybakina, the former Wimbledon winner regained confidence with titles in Strasbourg and Ningbo. With her win-loss record of 57-19 so far, this will be an evenly contested battle.
Sabalenka has an 8-5 record in the head-to-head against Rybakina. This includes three meetings in 2025, as well as a Grand Slam final in 2023.
| Event | Round | Winner | Score |
| 2025 Wuhan | Quarterfinal | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3 6-3 |
| 2025 Cincinnati | Quarterfinal | Elena Rybakina | 6-1 6-4 |
| 2025 Berlin | Quarterfinal | Aryna Sabalenka | 7-6(6) 3-6 7-6(6) |
| 2024 WTA Finals | Round Robin | Elena Rybakina | 6-4 3-6 6-1 |
| 2024 Madrid | Semifinal | Aryna Sabalenka | 1-6 7-5 7-6(5) |
| 2024 Brisbane | Final | Elena Rybakina | 6-0 6-3 |
| 2023 WTA Finals | Round Robin | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-2 3-6 6-3 |
| 2023 Beijing | Quarterfinal | Elena Rybakina | 7-5 6-2 |
| 2023 Indian Wells | Final | Elena Rybakina | 7-6(11) 6-4 |
| 2023 Australian Open | Final | Aryna Sabalenka | 4-6 6-3 6-4 |
| 2021 Wimbledon | Round of 16 | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3 4-6 6-3 |
| 2021 Abu Dhabi | Quarterfinal | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-4 4-6 6-3 |
| 2019 Wuhan | Quarterfinal | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3 1-6 6-1 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Category | Elena Rybakina |
| 1 | Current Ranking | 6 |
| 479-199 | Career W-L Record | 388-162 |
| 63-11 | YTD W-L Record | 57-19 |
| 21 | Career Titles | 10 |
| 4 | YTD Titles | 2 |
| 4 | Grand Slams | 1 |
There were signs of minor shoulder concerns for Rybakina in the semifinals. If the issue persists, there could be problems on serve for the Kazakh veteran. Against an in-form Sabalenka, the 26-year-old will need all the weapons she can use. There will be a plethora of winners flying around on Saturday. As a result, the winner will be determined by who can minimize the unforced errors in the process.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka in three sets.
Sabalenka (3/5) has an advantage against the underdog Rybakina (27/20) in terms of the pre-match betting market. According to the implied probability on the money line, the World No. 1 has a 71% chance of winning the title. Here are the odds (as per BetMGM):
(According to BetMGM: BetMGM offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use BetMGM to ace your betting game in all sports!)
(Image Credits: Susan Mullane, Imagn Images)
