Elena Rybakina left it late, with the last woman to qualify into the field for the WTA Finals in Saudi, toppling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) on Saturday to lift the year-end title.   

Former Wimbledon winner Rybakina only booked the eighth and final spot in the showpiece at the last second, reaching a Tokyo semi-final last month to help her on the road to Riyadh.

Rybakina’s trophy – her third of the season – was worth in excess of UDS 5 million as the Saudis continue to move into tennis through the power of prize money and perks.

The Kazakh also lifted trophies in Strasbourg and Ningbo before becoming the 10th consecutive first-time WTA Finals champion. 

She wrapped up the season with a 58–19 record, a personal best. 

Rybakina took a 4-2 lead to win the opening set against the world’s top player and swept the second -set tiebreaker to lift the trophy.

Sabalenka ended the season with four titles including the US Open.

With her WTA career consistently derailed by an on-again, off-again back injury, Paula Badosa can never be sure of her chances at any event.

But the 10th-ranked Spaniard who once cracked the ranking top 10 is clinging to the belief that she can make an impression when the French Open starts on Sunday.

“I have to be realistic. Of course, if I’m delusional and I want to dream, I’m approaching this tournament the same as the Australian Open (semi-final last January),” the 27-year-old said.

“But that’s not the reality. I’ve (only) played one full match in the last two months and a half. The reality here is to play as many matches as possible. 

“Every minute on court now is very valuable. So it’s just that and no expectations.”

The Spaniard will start her Roland Garros quest with actual expectations in check.

“If I can play one match, good. If I can play three, great. For now the goal in French Open is not what it should be, but because I’m coming from an injury.”

Badosa faces a tough ask against another former elite player, facing four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the first round.

Badosa’s best Paris showing was a 2021 quarter-final while Osaka has never passed the third round.

The Spaniard arrives in Paris after a quarter-final this week in Strasbourg.

“The conditions here, I always like them. I love to play in

Paris. Yeah, I’m playing Monday, so I have one more day tomorrow.

‘As you all know, she’s (Osaka) a great, great player, I respect her so much. Not for things she did on court, but especially also off court. 

“I know she likes to play the big matches. It’s where she plays her best game, so I’m expecting her best level on Monday.”

Main photo:- Paula Badosa played Miami Open 2025

Three-time quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina, fresh from a baby break, stepped back onto the Roland Garros clay on Monday and emerged after barely an hour later a 6-2, 6-2 winner.

The Ukrainian mother of a daughter with French husband Gael Monfils put out 2022 semi-finalist Marta Trevisan of Italy 48 hours after winning her first title since 2021 in Strasbourg.

Svitolina, an outspoken fundraiser for her country during the invasion by Russia, kept politics out of her on-court speech as she looked ahead to the next round at her first Grand Slam since the Australian Open nearly a year and a half ago.

“It’s extremely special for me to get the first win of a Grand Slam,” the No. 192 who rose more than 300 places as a result of her title said.

“I’m really, really happy with how I played today, I’m looking forward to net one

“It was a great match. I played very solid. I knew I had to bring my best game today. I have a lot of confidence after Strasbourg.”

Svitolina improved to 31-6 in the first round here, winning 27 of her last 28 opening round matches at the Slams  dating to the 2015 Australian Open . Her lon loss came at 2018 Wimbledon

Fifth seed Caroline Garcia scored a morale-boosting home win 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 over China’s Wang Xiyu, breaking in the final game.

The French No. 1 who claimed the WTA year-end title in October needed nearly two and three-quarter hours to advance.

“The crowd really lifted me, I gave all of my energy here,” the winner said.

“It was a tough match but I kept a positive attitude.I was able to find a solution to a complicated situation.”

Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic, playing for the first time since April and sporting a heavily taped shoulder, went down 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to tournament debutante Elina Avanesyan.  

Former US Open winner Sloane Stephens beat Karolina Pliskova for the second time at Roland Garros and fifth overall as she dismissed the former No. 1 in a 6-0, 6-4 hammering.

It took 84 minutes for the American who won the US Open six years ago to reach the second round.

No. 30 Stephens has pulled out of a 2023 slump, winning 10 of her last 12 matches; Pliskova has been dealing with a knee injury since Madrid last month.

The Czech sent over a 31st unforced error on the first match point for Stephens.

No. 138 qualifier Kayla Day was victorious in her first main draw match at a major since 2016 in New York, defeating France’s former WTA No. 10 Kristina Mladenivoc 7-5, 6-1.

Main photo:-Caroline Garcia (FRA) wins first round match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd