Women’s tennis thriving on the court as season wraps but WTA must catch up

Sabalenka and Swiatek head to Saudi finals after epic year yet organisers remain dire at marketing their product.

The final weeks of the women’s tennis season showcased one last twist in the furious race to determine the qualifiers for the WTA Finals. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, finally caught fire after a year of near misses, bulldozing through her opponents to win a title in Ningbo, China that solidified her spot in Riyadh among the eight best players in the world.

Just as significant as Rybakina’s qualification, though, was its consequences for the player she usurped. Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old prodigy who won WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells this year, had seemed like a sure bet to qualify in singles for the finals. Her failure to do so underscores the fact that this year has been the toughest and most competitive women’s tennis season in years.

At the top, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have further strengthened their claims as the two greatest players of their generation. While the former put together another supremely consistent year as the best player in the world, winning her fourth grand slam title at the US Open and reaching the Australian and French Open finals, the latter captured the one tournament she never imagined she could win, earning her sixth grand slam title at Wimbledon.

Still, the other top players have allowed them no rest and the intense competition has inspired countless epic high-stakes matches throughout the year. It took consecutive colossal performances from Madison Keys against Swiatek and Sabalenka to finally win her first grand slam title at the Australian Open. In Paris, Coco Gauff outsmarted Sabalenka in a dramatic, wind-afflicted three-setter to win her second grand slam title aged just 21. Two days earlier, Sabalenka ended Swiatek’s three- year reign in another unforgettable duel.

At the US Open, women’s semi-final day turned out to be one of the best days of tennis this year as Sabalenka overcame Jessica Pegula in a breathless, high-quality battle before Amanda Anisimova continued her long-awaited breakthrough season by dragging herself past Naomi Osaka to reach a second consecutive grand slam final. Even Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Anisimova in the Wimbledon final turned out to be part of one of the most compelling storylines this year. Two months later, Anisimova showed her toughness by exacting revenge on the Pole at the earliest opportunity in New York.

This may have been a great year for women’s tennis on the court, but on the eve of another finals, the eternal question remains whether the tour can provide its talent with a strong enough platform to turn the sport into a thriving product again. As the Women’s Tennis Association’s flagship event, in recent years this tournament has reflected the tour’s struggles. It should actually be in the middle of a 10-year residency in Shenzhen but the Covid-19 pandemic and the WTA’s fleeting objections to the disappearance of Peng Shuai led to the cancellation of their agreement after the first edition in 2019.

The event then bounced between different countries each year, with various difficulties, a period that also left the WTA in a deep financial hole. Its inevitable embrace of Saudi Arabia addressed some of those financial issues and in recent years the organisation has been restructured. In 2023, the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners acquired a 20% stake in the WTA’s new commercial arm, WTA Ventures. Last August, it appointed Portia Archer as its chief executive.

For all the recent changes at the WTA, which included a significant image rebrand at the beginning of the year, it remains to be seen if it can put itself on the right path. Aside from changing the graphics of their website alongside a beige new slogan – Rally The World – not so much has changed to its public offering since that rebrand. The WTA marketing budget remains a fraction of that of the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and it shows in its paltry output on social media and lack of original content on YouTube.

Eight years after initiating its own bespoke subscription-based streaming product, WTA TV, the service still does not have its own app or a global presence. This also contrasts starkly with Tennis TV, the ATP’s streaming platform, which suffocates viewers with content. A particularly concerning development at the WTA, which does not reflect well on the organisation’s judgment, was the decision to end its WTA Insider initiative, one of the few ways that it effectively showcased the storylines within the sport. Otherwise, the WTA has been dire at marketing its players and their personalities for so long.

At a time when women’s sport is enjoying significant growth and momentum around the world, the WTA should be leading the way. Instead, it is still stunted by its own problems and the path forward is unclear. What is certain, though, is the quality provided by the athletes on the court. As play begins on Saturday, with Gauff attempting to defend her title in a brutal field composed of the best players in the world, there will be more great tennis to come.

the guardian.com

Now this is the kind of reporting more people need to read because it is the absolute truth. The WTA likes to pretend it's making progress but in reality it continues to be stagnant when compared to the ATP.

All these years later and despite plenty of progress it still feels like women are still being treated as 2nd class citizens. 

Whether it's prize money or money spent on marketing to sell the sport better. It is beyond sad, and perhaps more importantly incredibly frustrating. 

In 2025 WTATV still doesn't have an app (I have to watch the matches through the Amazon Silk browser). While the ATP app has had at least 3 revamps over the years and continues to improve. 

What's worse is that the WTA app still isn't global and only available in North America. Talk about an opportunity missed. 

How are people suppose to follow their favourite player around the world if it's not available to watch anywhere. 

It is such a simple and smart business solution yet no one in the organization seems to see it. Or maybe it's just that they don't much care.

And that's heartbreaking. As a woman I wouldn't even be a tennis fan if it weren't for the WTA.

Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz will once again start 2026 with Team Poland at United Cup

Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek are running it back. Two-time defending finalists Poland are the first team to commit to the 2026 United Cup.

The 2025 Wimbledon champion and former ATP World No. 6's early commitment ensures Poland will feature at the event for the fourth time in four editions after reaching two consecutive title bouts. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Hurkacz and Swiatek, Poland was runner-up to the United States in 2025, and Germany in 2024.

Swiatek, who has won 14 of her 16 career singles matches at the event said in a news released confirming her participation that "it's always an amazing experience and just an honor to represent your country and especially alongside such great players."

“I love being part of the team and have great memories of playing this event," she added. "This tournament is different. It brings more excitement than normal tournaments we play during the year.”

This January, Swiatek went unbeaten in the competition before losing to Coco Gauff in the women's singles rubber in the final in the U.S.'s 2-0 win. Last year, she and Hurkacz had championship points in the deciding mixed doubles match against Laura Siegemund and Alexander Zverev before falling.

Seventeen other countries will join Poland in the field at the mixed-gender team competition ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, and participation is subject to players committing to the event by the tournament’s entry deadline of Nov. 11. Perth will host the first day of United Cup action on Jan. 2 at RAC Arena, while the group stage in Sydney will begin on Jan. 3 at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Other details of the fifth edition of United Cup, to be held from Jan. 2-11, include:

At the entry deadline, 10 countries will qualify via the five highest-ranked men and five highest-ranked women entered, based on their PIF ATP Rankings and WTA Rankings.

Eight teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country.

At the second qualification date on Nov. 17, if there is a player in the Top 10 (maximum 1 ATP and 1 WTA player) of the latest PIF ATP Rankings or WTA Rankings who has entered and has an eligible team but has not been accepted based on their individual ATP/WTA ranking, they will be accepted -- and their team will replace the lowest-ranked team with combined ranking.

Australia is guaranteed entry, either directly via ranking or as a wild card.

Each city will host nine teams each: three groups of three countries, competing in a round-robin format, and each tie will comprise one men’s singles and one women’s singles match featuring the No.1-ranked singles players, and one mixed doubles match.

Group winners in each city advance to the quarterfinals with one quarterfinal spot in each city awarded to the best runner-up in that city.

Winners will progress to the semifinals and final to be played in Sydney.

wtatennis.com

Iga Swiatek reaches quarterfinals in Wuhan debut

In Thursday night’s first match, No. 2-seeded Iga Swiatek became the fifth WTA 1000 champion to advance to the quarterfinals at the Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open. In the nightcap, No. 3 Coco Gauff made it six.

Gauff was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai, while Swiatek defeated No. 13 Belinda Bencic 7-6 (2), 6-4.

They could meet in the semifinals, but first there is the matter of Friday’s supercharged quarterfinals.

Swiatek meets No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, who came back to defeat No. 10 Clara Tauson 3-6, 6-1, 3-1 via retirement.

Gauff has an unexpected match against unseeded Laura Siegemund, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Magdalena Frech. At 37, and the oldest player left in the draw, the German is looking for her second Top 10 win of the tournament following a second-round upset of No. 5 Mirra Andreeva.

Playing Wuhan for the first time, Swiatek has looked a lot like a six-time Grand Slam champion. The win over Bencic was the 125th WTA 1000 victory of her young career, and Friday will be her 25th WTA 1000 quarterfinal.

Swiatek finished with eight aces and converted four of six break-point opportunities in a match that clocked in at 2 hours and 8 minutes.

“For sure I wanted to play with confidence and make great decisions and not let her dictate,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview after the match. “It was super hard and every game was tough. That’s why it was two sets in over two hours. I’m happy that I was there in the deciding moments to be solid and play one more shot.”

This was Swiatek’s fifth win in six matches against Bencic, but it did not come easily. Since giving birth to daughter Bella in the spring of 2024, the Swiss player has steadily returned to her championship form. She was the winner in Abu Dhabi back in February and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Swiatek.

After dropping the first three games to Swiatek, Bencic came back to win five of six games and found herself serving for the first set at 5-4. Two loose forehands, however, gave Swiatek the equalizing break.

The tiebreak wasn’t competitive. Bencic has made a career of taking the ball early, playing fast and aggressively. But in this instance, Swiatek was sharper. With Bencic serving at 2-4, Swiatek was standing inside the baseline when she sent a first serve back with an eye-opening forehand winner. Winning her third straight point, Swiatek converted her first set point.

In the second set, the two were even at 3-all when Swiatek made her move. A snappy forehand winner, followed by another faulty forehand from Bencic, gave her the decisive break.

wtatennis.com

So we went from this great performance to losing in the quarters 6/1 6/2 to Paolini for the first time. 

Guess this match took a lot out of Iga because she looked like she had nothing left for Poalini the next day. 

Not a surprise though given Iga has once again played the most matches this year (60+ for the 4th year in a row). 

This early loss might be a blessing in disguise, and allow her a bit more rest and preparation for WTA Finals in November.

Hang in there Iga, we're in the home stretch now. 

Go to the WTA Finals and play like you've got nothing to lose. 

Whatever happens it's been a really solid 2025 overall. 

Proud as always.

Iga Swiatek starts Wuhan debut with a convincing win

Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva both lost in Beijing’s fourth round and arrived at the Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open hoping to create some momentum heading into year-end championships.

On Tuesday, the No. 2-seeded Swiatek was the first player to advance to the third round, defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 6-1. She’ll meet the winner of Wednesday’s second-round match between No. 13 seed Belinda Bencic and Elise Mertens.

Andreeva, the No. 5 seed, later fell to Laura Siegemund
 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3. The grueling match required 3 hours and 1 minute.

Since reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in early July, Andreeva’s record is 5-4.

Swiatek dominated Bouzkova’s serve, winning 31 of 51 points and breaking her six times in a match that ran 79 minutes.

The 24-year-old from Poland is now 2-0 against Bouzkova, while the Czech Republic player is now 0-7 for the year against Top 10 players. Bouzkova defeated wild card Camila Osorio 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.

Swiatek was the top seed in Beijing, but fell to Emma Navarro 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.

She’s the No. 2 player in the PIF WTA Rankings and one of the game’s most consistent players. But even the six-time Grand Slam champion knows there’s a far better chance of losing than winning a title. She’s played in 17 events this year and come away with three crowns -- Wimbledon, Cincinnati and Seoul.

“There are many tournaments that you win [and] the next week you lose,” Swiatek told reporters in Wuhan. “So it is disappointing. It’s hard to be winning all the time and be consistent.

“It’s not something I would expect, but I just try to focus on developing and just working every day to play as well as possible.”

That long-term approach has worked nicely for Swiatek, who collected her 60th match-win for 2025. She’s the only woman this century to do it for four consecutive years. Martina Hingis (1997-2001) and Lindsay Davenport (1998-2001) were the last to manage that feat.

Swiatek has been lethally sharp in WTA 1000 events. Look at these numbers:

She’s won 31 consecutive opening matches; since 1990, only Hingis (40) has done better.

This was Swiatek’s 100th straight-sets win -- in 153 matches. Only Serena Williams (144) got there in fewer matches.

Since the format came into being, Swiatek’s straight-set win percentage is .654, second to Serena Williams’ .665.

“Every tournament I go to, I want to play my best game,” Swiatek said. “Sometimes I deliver; sometimes not but yeah, my expectation is to just do my best. Honestly, I don’t set goals like semifinal or whatever -- just really making it step by step.”

wtatennis.com