Press releases

1 Nov 2022

Sabalenka outlasts Jabeur in WTA Finals opener

An archive photo

MINSK, 1 November (BelTA) – World number 7 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus notched a comeback win on the opening night of round-robin play at the WTA Finals to top world number 2 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 3-6, 7-6(7-5), 7-5 in Fort Worth, BelTA has learned

Sabalenka took nearly two-and-a-half hours to take a 3-1 lead in her head-to-head versus Ons Jabeur. For the 24-year-old Aryna Sabalenka it is going to be her second WTA Finals. She fell in the round-robin stage in 2021. In the other Nancy Richey group match Greece’s world number 5 Maria Sakkari defeated world number 3 Jessica Pegula of the United States, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4).

The Tracy Austin Group matches will kick off on 1 November. World number one Iga Swiatek of Poland will face world number 8 Daria Kasatkina of Russia, and world number 4 Coco Gauff of the United States will take on world number 6 Caroline Garcia of France.

Two best players from each group will advance to the semifinal. The same scheme will be used for the doubles event. The tournament will finish on 7 November.

The total prize money for the 2022 WTA Finals is $5 million. Last year the event was won by Spain’s Garbine Muguruza who defeated Anett Kontaveit of Estonia in the final match. The doubles were won by the Czech tandem Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.