Elena Rybakina Stuns Aryna Sabalenka to Win Historic £4m Payout
Rybakina earned her forty-fifth hard-court victory of 2025
Elena Rybakina claimed the biggest payday in WTA all time by overcoming world number one Sabalenka in straight sets at the championship.
Rybakina produced a stunning performance to overcome four-time Grand Slam winner her opponent 6-3 7-6 (7-0) in Saudi Arabia.
Since both players advanced through the tournament undefeated, the purse on offer was a historic £3.98m – the highest payout awarded in WTA the sport's history.
The reward exceeds the £3.74m the Belarusian won for winning the New York major, which was the most lucrative major tournament in the current year.
"It's been an incredible tournament," said the Kazakh player.
"I honestly didn't expect any result so to go so far was just unbelievable."
"I want to say praise to Sabalenka for holding the top spot for a second consecutive year in a row, it's an outstanding accomplishment."
Rybakina, who was the sixth-ranked player, hit sixteen winners during a commanding opening set display.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner fended off a couple of chances before taking all four points in the sixth game of the set to take the break and held her serve to secure the opening set.
With the second set on serve, the world number one saved another two opportunities at 4-4 to swing the momentum in her favor.
However, having worked so hard to upset her opponent's flow, Sabalenka let her opponent off the hook by wasting two set points in the next game to tie the set at 5-5.
Sabalenka's failure to force a decider impacted her tie-break performance, with Rybakina winning all seven points to win the championship.
This win, Rybakina's sixth over Sabalenka, means Rybakina will move up one spot in the WTA rankings to number five in the world.
A distraught the runner-up was seen crying as she met with her team shortly after the final.
"That was not the finest performance from me in this match but Rybakina you were certainly the superior competitor," the Belarusian told the crowd.
"You really smashed me out of the court. I'm pleased to see you play your best tennis. Enjoy this beautiful trophy."
