Elena Rybakina fired 15 aces to defeat Jessica Pegula and reach the WTA Finals championship match, extending her winning streak to 10 matches and setting up a final against Aryna Sabalenka.
Pegula’s Warning Before the Match
Jessica Pegula knew exactly what she was up against. Speaking ahead of the semifinal, she acknowledged Rybakina’s form and the conditions that favored her opponent.
“She seems like she’s been the most seamless throughout this entire tournament,” Pegula said. “We all know how she can play, huge game, big serve. I think these conditions definitely suit her.”
Rybakina’s Serve Delivers Again
The match began with Pegula taking the first set 6-4, but Rybakina responded with precision and power, winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Her serve was the decisive factor, producing 15 aces and breaking Pegula five times.
“Yeah, it’s my biggest weapon and I think it worked really well,” Rybakina said. “Some moments, when I needed it the most, it worked — even though she was really playing well and pushing me in the tough situations.”
Group Stage Perfection
Rybakina entered the semifinals after a flawless run in the Serena Williams Group, where she defeated Amanda Anisimova, Iga Swiatek, and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sabalenka matched that record in the Stefanie Graf Group, setting up a final between the tournament’s two most dominant players.
A Clash of Titans Awaits
The championship match will feature Rybakina against Sabalenka, who advanced after a grueling 2-hour, 21-minute win over Anisimova. With both players undefeated in group play and riding strong momentum, the final promises a high-powered showdown.
Rybakina in Riyadh, ranking, and results in 2025
Ranked world no.6, Elena owns a 58-19 win-loss record in 2025. Elena ended her run in the round-robin after defeating Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-3.
will face the world no.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Their current head to head is 8-5 for Sabalenka.Rybakina has won 2 titles in 2025 in Strasbourg and Ningbo.
Elena won 10 titles in her career: 5 on hard courts, 4 on clay courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of her titles)
Jessica Pegula in 2025
Ranked no.5, Jessica played her last match on the 7th of November when she surrendered to world no.6 Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the semifinal in Riyadh (draw).
Currently, during this season Jessica achieved an overall 53-23 win-loss record. The American clinched 3 titles in 2025 in Austin, Charleston and Bad Homburg. Jessica reached the final in Adelaide, Miami and Wuhan.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula squared off 6 times. Their current head to head is 3-3.