by
ti-amie Tournament: WTA Finals Riyadh
Dates: November 1 - November 8, 2025
Location: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
Total Financial Commitment: $15,500,000
Surface: Hard (Indoor)
Aryna Sabalenka
Qualified: July 8
Best WTA Finals outing: Final (2022)
Last year's result: Semi-finals
Iga Swiatek
Qualified: August 17
Best WTA Finals outing: Winner (2023)
Last year's result: Round-robin stage
Coco Gauff
Qualified: September 30
Best WTA Finals outing: Winner (2024)
Last year's result: Winner
Amanda Anisimova
First-time participant
Qualified: October 2
Best WTA Finals outing: N/A
Last year's result: DNQ
Madison Keys
Qualified: October 2
Best WTA Finals outing: Round-robin stage (2016)
Last year's result: DNQ
Jessica Pegula
Qualified: October 13
Best WTA Finals outing: Final (2023)
Last year's result: Round-robin stage
Jasmine Paolini
Qualified: October 18
Best WTA Finals outing: Round-robin stage (2024)
Last year's result: Round-robin stage
Elena Rybakina
Qualified: October 24
Best WTA Finals outing: Round-robin stage (2023 / 2024)
Last year's result: Round-robin stage
Alternates
Mirra Andreeva
Ekaterina Alexandrova
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/eight- ... 53390.html
by ti-amie Singles Draw
Stefanie Graff Group
BLR A. Sabalenka (1)
USA C. Gauff (3)
USA J. Pegula (5)
ITA J. Paolini (8)
Serena Williams Group
POL I. Swiatek (2)
USA A. Anisimova (4)
KAZ E. Rybakina (6)
USA M. Keys (7)
by ti-amie Doubles Draw
Martina Navratilova Group
ITA S. Errani/ITA J. Paolini (1)
RUS V. Kudermetova/BEL E. Mertens (4)
TPE S. Hsieh/LAT J. Ostapenko (6)
USA A. Muhammad/NED D. Schuurs (8)
Liezel Huber Group
CZE K. Siniakova/USA T. Townsend (2)
CAN G. Dabrowski NZL E. Routliffe (3)
RUS M. Andreeva/RUS D. Shnaider (5)
HUN T. Babos/BRA L. Stefani (7)
by ponchi101 I like Amanda's chances.
by ashkor87 I am boycotting
by ponchi101 I'm on the fence.
If the women are not boycotting this event, I don't know why I should. But I am not certainly going to wake up at some ungodly hour to watch this.
by ti-amie Honestly I didn't want to even post this. I'm not going to watch.
by Owendonovan Half the field is American. I'm curious what was told to them that they all seem to think it's all fine over there.
by Suliso It will be all fine there for them.
by ashkor87 I am myself quite unsure about the ethics of a boycott.. on the one hand, they are effective, sometimes but then do the ends justify the means? Generally not, so why here? Is it right to treat a bunch of people, the Saudis, as pariahs.. when they individually may not have done anything wrong? Lumping them all together and tarring them with the same brush as their government? How would I like to be held responsible for what my government does? surely not, not n every case anyway...
by Suliso In any case it's my understanding that Saudi Arabia has changed a fair bit lately. Are they really so much more conservative and/or oppressive than Qatar these days? Nobody is proposing to boycott them...
by Owendonovan This is an awkwardly staged photo in what looks like an elevator vestibule.
by ptmcmahon Funny how often those photos wind up so.. awkward.
There's probably a "behind the scenes" one which would probably be much better.
by
ponchi101 Suliso wrote: ↑Fri Oct 31, 2025 8:35 am
In any case it's my understanding that Saudi Arabia has changed a fair bit lately. Are they really so much more conservative and/or oppressive than Qatar these days? Nobody is proposing to boycott them...
They are more oppressive than Qatar. In Qatar, you will see local women walking in the streets wearing western clothing. You have local bars (at the hotels) and there are few restrictions for foreign women.
Not that Qatar is in any way a paradise; the slaves situation is not funny at all.
I don't know what one can achieve through a boycott; Saudi Arabia will not notice what will happen with my TV on Sunday. But on the other hand, there is so little one can do when dealing with a situation like this one, that I don't know if doing that very little thing is the sole moral thing to do.
Plus:
It must be said that we are not in disagreement with a country's political or social structure. We are in disagreement with a cultural/religious structure. And that is a more complicated issue.
by ashkor87 The Beijing match where Anisimova really thrashed Coco - watched it again just to analyze.. this is clearly a bad matchup for Coco on a slow court: Anisimova's backhand is in the same class as Coco's, and her forehand is a class better - her serve is also slightly more reliable.. Coco's superior court coverage doesnt matter much on a slow court. Riyadh may be similar..!
by ponchi101 I don't think anybody other than Aryna has the quality of strokes of Amanda. All the strokes are powerful, and when she is moving well, it is not a bad combo.
Having said that... Coco won las year. She likes the court, for sure.
by
Suliso American ladies
by Suliso Maybe awkward, but in fact this year no one looks unfortunate.
by
Suliso Doubles players look good as well
by
ponchi101 Suliso wrote: ↑Fri Oct 31, 2025 7:58 pm
American ladies
Amanda's gown is very sexy. Because it looks like she is wrapped in a bed sheet.
C'mon, you can do better than that, girl!
by
ti-amie Owendonovan wrote: ↑Fri Oct 31, 2025 1:45 pm
This is an awkwardly staged photo in what looks like an elevator vestibule.
Someone quipped that it looks like an advert for Real Housewives Riyadh
by ti-amie Saturday Day 1 RR Day 1
Center Court
Starts at 8:30 AM
ITA Errani /ITA Paolini (1) vs USA Muhammad /NED Schuurs (8)
Starts: 15:30 (Venue) 08:30 (Your time)
Upcoming
POL I. Swiatek (2) vs USA M. Keys (7)
Not before: 18:00 (Venue) 11:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
USA A. Anisimova (4) vs KAZ E. Rybakina (6)
Follows previous match
Upcoming
RUS Kudermetova /BEL Mertens (4) vs TPE Hsieh /LAT Ostapenko (6)
Follows previous match
by ti-amie Sunday Order of Play RR Day 2
Center Court
Starts at 7:00 AM
CAN Dabrowski /NZL Routliffe (3) vs RUS Andreeva /RUS Shnaider (5)
Starts: 15:00 (Venue) 07:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
BLR A. Sabalenka (1) vs ITA J. Paolini (8)
Not before: 17:00 (Venue) 09:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
USA C. Gauff (3) vs USA J. Pegula (5)
Not before: 18:30 (Venue) 10:30 (Your time)
Upcoming
CZE Siniakova /USA Townsend (2) vs HUN Babos /BRA Stefani (7)
Follows previous match
by
ti-amie 
by Suliso Keys is currently not ready to play at a high level. Likely to withdraw or go 0-3.
by mick1303 And Iga draws the first blood )
by ponchi101 I caved in and I am watching.
Coco's serving woes travelled to Ryyadh too. She is up to 13 DF's starting the 3rd set. And some of the shots have been landing 2-3 mts OUT. She is really struggling today.
If Pegula does not get this match, it will be sad for her.
by Suliso Great win for Pegula. Probably secures her SF's spot along Sabalenka. I expect Sabalenka will go 3-0 and Paolini 0-3.
by ponchi101 Paolini indeed looked bad. Unable to do anything against Aryna.
Maybe three players will go 2-1? Pegula loses to Aryna, Aryna loses to Coco, Coco loses no more?
by
Suliso Certainly possible, but I'd bet on my scenario instead.
by JTContinental Fun fact: except for a 2-win streak for Coco in the middle, she and Sabalenka swap wins back and forth. Gauff won their last match at RG, so it's Sabalenka's turn.
by ti-amie Day 3 Order of Play RR
Center Court
Starts at 7:00 AM
ITA Errani /ITA Paolini (1) vs TPE Hsieh /LAT Ostapenko (6)
Starts: 15:00 (Venue) 07:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
POL I. Swiatek (2) vs KAZ E. Rybakina (6)
Not before: 17:00 (Venue) 09:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
USA A. Anisimova (4) vs USA M. Keys (7)
Not before: 18:30 (Venue) 10:30 (Your time)
Upcoming
RUS Kudermetova /BEL Mertens (4) vs USA Muhammad /NED Schuurs (8)
Follows previous match
by ti-amie November 4 Order of Play RR
Center Court
Starts at 7:00 AM
CZE Siniakova /USA Townsend (2) vs CAN Dabrowski /NZL Routliffe (3)
Starts: 15:00 (Venue) 07:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
USA C. Gauff (3) vs ITA J. Paolini (8)
Not before: 17:00 (Venue) 09:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
BLR A. Sabalenka (1) vs USA J. Pegula (5)
Not before: 18:30 (Venue) 10:30 (Your time)
Upcoming
RUS Andreeva /RUS Shnaider (5) vs HUN Babos /BRA Stefani (7)
Follows previous match
by jazzyg I have never seen a top player who caves the way Swiatek does consistently when a match turns around. Rybakina played really well in the final two sets, but Swiatek was missing by 10 feet consistently on rally shots. It was pathetic.
by ponchi101 You were the one that coined the "she is a bully on court" concept?
I know that you are right; Swiatek caved in today. But there were two other things that I saw that were troublesome.
She did not shake hands with the chair umpire, after a match in which the chair did nothing. And then, she left the court without even waving to the crowd, who were cheering her. That shows you what kind of person she really is.
It is always easy to be gracious when you win. When you lose, your true self shows up.
If you push Iga, she will step back. She is not a mentally strong player. She is, mentally, the opposite of Paolini (who never gives up).
And, I know that this is going to get me crucified. But when Elena has a certain person in her box, she plays better. I believe that is becoming a fact, as sad as it may be.
by ptmcmahon So Rybakina has won the group, and the Swiatek-Anisimova winner gets second (and Maddy is out.)
by ponchi101 And she will lose in the finals, to keep us fans right where we belong.
by mick1303 Now after today if Coco wins against Saba in 3 (not the most probable, but not fantastic either) then 3 of them (if Pegula will also beat Paolini) will have the same amount of wins and sets. They will have to count games. Was it ever like this in the previous editions - I don't remember from top of my head?
by mick1303 But if Coco wins in 2 - Sabalenka still may end up in 3rd place and will not make semis.
by
ponchi101 mick1303 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 04, 2025 6:14 pm
Now after today if Coco wins against Saba in 3 (not the most probable, but not fantastic either) then 3 of them (if Pegula will also beat Paolini) will have the same amount of wins and sets. They will have to count games. Was it ever like this in the previous editions - I don't remember from top of my head?
Coco and Aryna are very close in their H2H, and several of their matches have gone 3. There is a good chance of that.
by
JTContinental ponchi101 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 04, 2025 8:00 pm
mick1303 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 04, 2025 6:14 pm
Now after today if Coco wins against Saba in 3 (not the most probable, but not fantastic either) then 3 of them (if Pegula will also beat Paolini) will have the same amount of wins and sets. They will have to count games. Was it ever like this in the previous editions - I don't remember from top of my head?
Coco and Aryna are very close in their H2H, and several of their matches have gone 3. There is a good chance of that.
All of their matches except Indian Wells 2023 have been tight.
by
ptmcmahon mick1303 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 04, 2025 6:14 pm
Now after today if Coco wins against Saba in 3 (not the most probable, but not fantastic either) then 3 of them (if Pegula will also beat Paolini) will have the same amount of wins and sets. They will have to count games. Was it ever like this in the previous editions - I don't remember from top of my head?
In that scenario, Pegula also has to win in straight sets. If she wins 2-1 she's out as she'll have lost one more set.
I know many times I've worked out what happens if it comes down to games. I can't remember if it's ever taken place though
In this case it's one of sixteen possible scenarios (not that they are equally likely of course.)
Here is a link to all possible set scenarios
by
ptmcmahon I couldn't find it coming to games played for WTA, but it did in 2009 for men at ATP finals:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_ATP_ ... es#Group_A
Fed, Murray, and JMDP all went 2-1 and had the same 5-4 sets record. Came to games won and that was razor tight too - Fed was 44-40, JMDP 45-43, and Murray 44-43. So Murray missed out by one single game.
by ashkor87 I hear Andreeva has refused to be the 'spare tire', take Madison's place. Wish Keys had droped out in time to let Andreeva play for real.. now Alexandrova gets to play Rybakina instead of Keys.. she actually has a much better chance against Rybakina than Keys did! Strange are the ways of the WTA and tennis in general.
by ponchi101 Has anybody ever hit a ball flatter than Elena? There is zero spin on the ball, except when she hits a slice. And then, that floats with no pace.
She makes Jimmy Connors look like Mats Wilander.
by ashkor87 Interesting observation by Laura Robson: Coco's spin serve works well against Paolini because she is a tiny thing.. Sabalenka is tall, it falls nicely in her hitting zone, so it wont work so well..let us see..
by ponchi101 Let's remember: by definition, a serve is s SHORT ball; it landed inside the service box, after all.
So, any slow second serve is a defensive shot.
Agree with that. Sabalenka can crush those balls because she is tall and the ball will rise between her hips and shoulder.
by ponchi101 Anisimova/Swiatek has been a good example of "crush the ball" tennis. No finesse shots today from this two.
And Iga, on cue, takes an extra long bathroom break after dropping the second. Which makes no sense because the first set went to a TB and she did not go anywhere.
by ponchi101 As stated above, when Iga get's pushed, she finds it hard to defuse that.
After 4-4 in the 2nd, Amanda won 8 of the next 10 games. It was not that Iga went away, but Amanda started hitting a bit harder (hard to believe) and Iga's game just could not handle it.
This makes that double bagel at Wimby more puzzling. Sure, Iga could have beaten her anyway. But why the score? It is obvious that Amanda can go toe-to-toe with her.
by
ptmcmahon ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 05, 2025 5:57 pm
Anisimova/Swiatek has been a good example of "crush the ball" tennis. No finesse shots today from this two.
And Iga, on cue, takes an extra long bathroom break after dropping the second. Which makes no sense because the first set went to a TB and she did not go anywhere.
Although we know why she took the extra long bathroom break... in theory if you didn't take a bathroom break after first set, you would expect to need a longer one after the second
by ponchi101 Sure. It is just that her pattern is so blatant. Win the set, do not take the break so you do not break your rhythm. Lose the set, take the break, as long as possible, to disrupt your opponent's rhythm.
She is not a good loser. But I gather you must have a bit of that if you want to be as successful as she has been.
by
ptmcmahon First set Pegula, and now up a break - I was an hour off on start time and just seeing now
by Suliso A straight set win should guarantee a SF spot for Pegula.
by ptmcmahon Not for 100% sure.
Pegula wins in straight sets.
3 Scenarios:
Sabalanka wins - #1 Sabalenka, #2 Pegula
Gauff wins in 2 sets - #1 Gauff, #2 Pegula
Gauff wins in 3 - Three way tie comes down to total games.
Actually, let me check the # games won...
by jazzyg If Gauff wins in 3 sets and has at least 4 more total games than Sabalenka, Gauff advances as runnerup behind Pegula. If Gauff wins in 3 sets but with less than a 4-game advantage, Sabalenka is the runnerup to Pegula.
by
ptmcmahon Yes, Pegula is through for sure - winning in less games was also a big help, not just winning in straights.
Pegula is 43-31 games
Sabalenka is 26-17 games
Gauff is 24-23 games
Even if she loses in 3, Sabalenka cant lose more games than she wins and stay ahead of Pegula - so in that case Gauff couldn't also pass her.
So Pegula is safe.
If Gauff wins in 3 she needs to gain a few games on Sabalenka. Will depend on score of first two sets
by
ptmcmahon jazzyg wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 3:27 pm
If Gauff wins in 3 sets and has at least 5 more total games than Sabalenka, Gauff advances as runnerup behind Pegula. If Gauff wins in 3 sets but with less than a 5-game advantage, Sabalenka is the runnerup to Pegula.
So the announcers saying would be better for Pegula with a 2 set match are off.
It goes by game% not the actual game difference... wonder if possible Gauff may be ok with 4, or need 6 more games in some scenarios? Let me get my excel out
by jazzyg Game difference and game percentage will work out the same most of the time.
Gauff is 24-23, not 26-23.
Edit: Gauff has to win by 5 games if it goes 3.
by
ptmcmahon Yeah, for fun I'm just seeing if there is maybe one extreme situation on either end where it doesnt
by
ptmcmahon The most extreme scenarios were
- Gauff winning one set 7-6, losing another 6-7, then winning the other set - Gauff did need to win by 5 or 6 games
- Gauff wins one set 6-0, loses another 0-6, then wins other set - Gauff did need to win by 5 or 6 games.
So yes, it does work out to Gauff need +5 games if it goes to three regardless of exact score
I also like that we are more on the ball figuring this out than most sites. Lots of articles that even know Pegula is through are saying Gauff has to win in 2.
by jazzyg And it is not an inconceivable scenario
Pegula won 6 more games than Gauff in her 3-set win.
by
ponchi101 And Gauff is doing ger part to keep it interesting...
by ptmcmahon Gauff can only afford to lose about 2 more games now. (or 3 if this set is 7-6 or 7-5)
by
ptmcmahon Well, that was anti-climcatic.
Sabalenka - Anisimova
Rybakina-Pegula
Also, laughed today seeing some articles saying this was the "Group of Death?" Do we really need that for a 2 group tournament
by ponchi101 Yes, that was ridiculous. Group of death.
And yes, no complicated calculations needed.
I like Anisimova's chances, still. And I like Pegula's. If she can keep in the ball in play, Elena can always start hitting out.
by mick1303 In the end it did not matter. So counting games did not happen this year. I could've been in 2014. Sharapova, Kvitova and Radwanska all went 1-2 in RR (all of them lost to Wozniacki).
by mick1303 Pegula has favorable H2H against Rybakina (3-1). It is hard to hit her off the court - she plays reliable and consistently deep, while keeping above average pace (poor man's Clijsters so to speak).
by mick1303 Even though Sabalenka made out of Round Robin 3 times out of the 4 previous participations, it was the first time she went undefeated in RR.
by mick1303 And this year again we will have a first-time winner of this Championship. Post-Serena nobody managed to do it twice.
by
ptmcmahon mick1303 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 5:18 pm
In the end it did not matter. So counting games did not happen this year. I could've been in 2014. Sharapova, Kvitova and Radwanska all went 1-2 in RR (all of them lost to Wozniacki).
That year it was decided by sets. Radwanska was 3-4, Sharapova, 3-5, Kivtova 2-4.
My AI search couldn't find any examples of it happening for WTA, just the one ATP instance.
by ponchi101 So the year ends with first time winners at 4 of the big 5 tournaments. And if it is Amanda or Jessie, first time winner of a big tournament, joining Keys.
I am obviously rooting for Elena, but Jessie or Amanda will be good. And Aryna is fine, so a good ending.
by
JTContinental ponchi101 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 5:16 pm
Yes, that was ridiculous. Group of death.
And yes, no complicated calculations needed.
I like Anisimova's chances, still. And I like Pegula's. If she can keep in the ball in play, Elena can always start hitting out.
It was a stacked group, though--all the most solid players of the year were in that group, and the other one only had Iga, who seems checked out.
by
JTContinental ponchi101 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 7:15 pm
So the year ends with first time winners at 4 of the big 5 tournaments. And if it is Amanda or Jessie, first time winner of a big tournament, joining Keys.
I am obviously rooting for Elena, but Jessie or Amanda will be good. And Aryna is fine, so a good ending.
If Anisimova wins, she will take the 3 spot from Coco and become US #1. She should be a no-brainer for most improved player in 2025.
by mick1303 I'm wondering what will be the odds for all semifinalists. Should be close - no clear favorite.
by ponchi101 Sabalenka 30%
Elena 25
Amanda 25
Jessie 20 (least power of the 4).
by ti-amie Friday Order of Play
Center Court
Starts at 7:30 AM
TPE Hsieh /LAT Ostapenko (6) vs HUN Babos /BRA Stefani (7)
Starts: 15:30 (Venue) 07:30 (Your time)
Upcoming
USA J. Pegula (5) vs KAZ E. Rybakina (6)
Not before: 18:00 (Venue) 10:00 (Your time)
Upcoming
BLR A. Sabalenka (1) vs USA A. Anisimova (4)
Follows previous match
Upcoming
RUS Kudermetova /BEL Mertens (4) vs CZE Siniakova /USA Townsend
by jazzyg I hesitate to make a prediction . Last year at this stage I popped in after a long absence and insisted Zheng was going to win, and how did that turn out?
But when Sabalenka is at her best, she is better than everyone. I will go with her 22-2 tiebreak record.
by JTContinental I also think Sabalenka will when as long as she doesn’t get crabby if someone plays her close.
by ponchi101 She is the favorite.
But Elena is playing well, and Amanda is crushing the ball. Not set in stone.
by Owendonovan Whoever takes first crack at the ball takes the Sabalenka/Anisimova match. Me thinks the return of serve will be the key.
by mick1303 It is getting progressively difficult to collect tennis results. Websites are making more and more sophisticated defenses and traps that hinder the batch copying of results. The reason is that betting becomes more and more lucrative business and previous history is a valuable data, that the holders of data are selling to betting companies. It is possible to look them up, but to copy-paste the whole tournament like 20 years ago - not a chance. My last resort was/is Jeff Sackman, but he stopped posting data on his github page at the end of 2024. And his tennisabstract project became a closed entity. He probably hopes to make it profitable, but it is a tall order - the audience is narrow and it is a very niche product.
WTA data is even harder to get by. For ATP I managed to create a "parser" that helps me to collect data from their website. But I fully expect them to tight the screws even more and change the data formatting in a way that it will soon be impossible to collect it.
With WTA unfortunately I'm already at this stage ((( So I didn't collect September BJK Cup results and missed the last match between Pegula and Rybakina, which the latter won. Strangely WTA website also does not have this match included in their H2H. Anyway - I have to correct myself, their H2H is now 3-2 in favor of Pegula.
by ponchi101 Every week I ask some AI to give me the schedule for the NFL games for the next week (for our NFL challenge). None of the AI's ever gets it right, when I ask for the teams' record.
So, as you say. Who knows how all that data are handled.
by mick1303 AI just makes a summary of what is posted on Internet on the issue. If someone posts the result incorrectly, AI will repeat it. It is not an intelligence in a proper sense. Just an advanced tool that has its deficiencies.
by ponchi101 I am more and more convinced that, in tennis, it is better NOT to hit errors than to hit winners.
Elena is clearly the better striker of the ball. But the errors count is extreme. Those flat strokes have no margin.
by mick1303 I disagree. Offensive player controls his destiny. Defensive player reacts. If good offensive player has a good day - defender is at his mercy. Of course, it is a very simplified take. There are no 100% offensive and 100% defensive players. And it is harder to be offensive in the pressure moments from the psychological standpoint. Don't forget the entertainment aspect - when bold offense wins it looks "sexier" and generates more buzz.
by ti-amie Saturday Order of Play – Finals
Center Court Starts at 8:00 AM
Final
HUN Babos /BRA Stefani (7) vs RUS Kudermetova /BEL Mertens (4)
Starts: 16:00 (Venue) 08:00 (Your time)
Final
Upcoming
BLR A. Sabalenka (1) vs KAZ E. Rybakina (6)
Not before: 19:00 (Venue) 11:00 (Your time)
by ponchi101 Rybakina just won the first set 6-3.
Aryna went for the customary extra-long toilet break.
And Vukov just gave Elena a 2 minutes long talk of advice.
She is winning. How about if you just shut up and tell her she is doing fine?
by ponchi101 No picture with the CEO.
Wooo...
by
dryrunguy So, to clarify...
New WTA Tour Finals champion Elena Rybakina declined a photo with WTA Tour chief executive Portia Archer during Saturday's trophy ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the wake of the tour's investigation into her coach, Stefano Vukov.
Full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/679004 ... ano-vukov/
by ashkor87 I boycotted Riyadh so not commenting...except that it is great to see Rybakina confident and positive...!
by mick1303 Taking a public bold and controversial move - refusing to take pictures with WTA CEO for me does not look like a psychological profile of abuse victim. But what do I know...
by
ponchi101 ashkor87 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 6:29 am
I boycotted Riyadh so not commenting...except that it is great to see Rybakina confident and positive...!
You made your position clear, and more than respect for that. So my reply is solely based on the tennis.
You missed some quality tennis from Elena. The score from the final does not reflect how well she was playing. Just for starters, she hit 13 aces, which is high. And there were so many service winners.
I also said that she hits the flatest ball I have ever seen. Well, yesterday, against Aryna, she hit many shots which were high and with spin. So, it seems she can hit the ball with spin and height, but she chooses not to.
Of course, I have zero faith that she will carry on with this form. She may now go on a Garbi/Petra streak and not win squat for two years. But if she continues to play like this, she will challenge at the Aussie.
by jazzyg When Rybakina is playing at the top of her game, as she did throughout Riyadh, I often wonder how she ever loses.
Often, though, she loses the same match where I have that feeling. A very mystifying player.
by
skatingfan mick1303 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 9:29 am
Taking a public bold and controversial move - refusing to take pictures with WTA CEO for me does not look like a psychological profile of abuse victim. But what do I know...
That seems exactly what an abuse victim would do. They wouldn't want to do anything publicly that could be perceived as siding against the abuser.
by ponchi101 And at the same time, she publicly shuns the top boss of her organization because, you know, that is exactly what a meek person does.
If she admits she is being abused, she is being abused. And if she does not admit she is being abused, it is because the abuser has such control over her that she will not admit it.
The possibility that she is not being abused is off the table, a priori.
by Owendonovan I'm curious who else advises her.
by
skatingfan ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 5:58 pm
And at the same time, she publicly shuns the top boss of her organization because, you know, that is exactly what a meek person does.
If she admits she is being abused, she is being abused. And if she does not admit she is being abused, it is because the abuser has such control over her that she will not admit it.
The point being that it's really easy to draw conclusions from behaviour that fit any narrative we want.
ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 5:58 pm
The possibility that she is not being abused is off the table, a priori.
The WTA had received multiple reports of abusive, and inappropriate language from Vukov to Rybakina over the course of several years from people independent of the situation. Rybakina fires Vukov at the US Open in 2024. Members of her team report to the WTA that Vukov tried to call, and message Rybakina repeatedly, and refused to leave her hotel They expressed to the WTA a fear for Rybakina's safety. The WTA implements a provisional suspension, and begins an investigation. The investigation concludes at the Australian Open, and a suspension for 1 year is imposed for abuse of authority and abusive conduct. Vukov appeals the suspension to an arbitrator, and the WTA lifts the suspension after Wimbledon, but no reason has been given.
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ptmcmahon ti-amie wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 9:08 pm
A one second wave to a camera is the "happiest we've seen her so long?"
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ponchi101 For her, that is an absolute outburst of emotions.
Remember when she won Wimby? I show more emotion when I don't double fault...
by mick1303 The "believe woman" only applies if they are denouncing, but if they are saying their are not victims, then the "believe woman" people are the first to jump and victimizing them.
