The WTA Finals will pitch a tent in North Carolina in late 2027 as the roving wrapup to the season settles in for a three-year-run in Charlotte.

The WTA revealed the venue on Wednesday, with the southern US due to stage three editions.

The event highlighting the top eight points finishers in singles and doubles for the season has had something of a “homeless” problem since the Covid  pandemic in 2020 when it was scrapped for that season after fulfilling only the first year of a multi-edition contract in Shenzhen, China..

This season’s conclusion will be staged at Indian Wells, the Californian venue for an ATP-WTA Masters 1000 played each March.

Fears are growing that the desert chill of a November night may mean unsuitably cold temperatures which could affect play.

The finals have been staged at five eclectic venues in the six editions since 2021:  Guadalajara, Mexico, Fort Worth, Texas, Cancun, Mexico and Riyadh, Saudi (twice).

The upcoming Indian Wells edition is just another place-holder for a Tour which is reportedly running low on corporate cash but struggles on.

The event will be played at the home of the NBAs Charlotte Hornets, from 2027-2029.

“The multi-year partnership will give the WTA greater opportunity to shape the experience and identity of one of its most important assets, deepen relationships with fans and commercial partners, and build a championship platform designed to grow alongside women’s sport,” a PR release read.

“The WTA Finals represents everything that makes women’s tennis extraordinary: the world’s best athletes, competing at the highest level, on a stage worthy of what they have accomplished,” said WTA chairwoman Valerie Camillo.

“We have an opportunity now to lead by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next.”

“We want to create the Super Bowl for women’s sports. And not just the competition, but an event that is the annual gathering for women’s tennis, women’s sports, and women’s sport business.”

Main photo: WTA Tour Finals were previously played at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China

Coach Darren Cahill has rallied to the defence of Jannik Sinner after the world No. 1 sparked controversy with his record-breaking USD 6 million prize money haul from last month’s Saudi exhibition.

The Italian banked the biggest cheque ever cut in tennis for winning the hit-and-giggle event among six top players last month,

Asked as to what influence the outsized payday had on his participation, the native German-speaker answered in English to Eurosport: “I don’t play for money. It’s very simple. 

“Of course it’s a nice prize, but I went there because there was possibly the six best players in the world and you can measure yourself with them. It was also a nice event,”

That somewhat unbelievable response drew a laughing emoji form veteran Stan Wawrinka in an online post.

The situation may have inspired Australian Cahill to jump into the controversy in an effort to save face for his VIP client.

 “What he said about not going to Riyadh for the money was misinterpreted.

“Or maybe he didn’t explain himself well. The truth is that he had never played an exhibition, he has always been focused on improving his tennis. He knows what his priorities are.

“Then he got an offer for the Six Kings Slam, with the six best players in the world and a lot of money. He consulted us and we said why not, and he accepted.”

Sinner is headlining from Sunday at the this week at the ATP finals in Turin, where he is top seed as the eight best players this season clash.

Main photo:- Darren Cahill with Andre Agassi after winning 2003 Australian
Open – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos

Aryna Sabalenka fell victim to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 upset at the hands of former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina as the world No. 1 moved into the knockout stage of the WTA Finals on Wednesday.

Sabalenka had already assured herself a semi-final place but would have surely preferred to leave the group stage in Riyadh with a clean slate after three matches.

Rybakina ends standing 1-2 as she competed for the first time since pulling injured from the US open with a back injury and playing just three matches since Wimbledon.

Sabalenka’s loss was only her fourth in the series after defeating her Kazakh rival six times; the top seed had won her previous seven matches before running into Rybakina.

American Jessica Pegula quit the year-end event with injury while Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 6-1.

US Open runner-up Pegula, who lost that final to Sabalenka, was replaced by alternate Daria Kasatkina.

“Just been kind of struggling with a little bit of an injury,” Pegula said, “and for whatever reason, it kind of really flared up this week. 

“I’m not really sure why. In the few days before practice, it felt really, really good, but it started creeping up right before my first match.

“I”m not feeling comfortable moving on court.”

Kasatkina will face No.2 Iga Swiatek on Thursday.