WTA Finals on Sky Sports Tennis: Schedule, format and latest results

The climax to the 2024 WTA Tour season arrives in November in the shape of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, live on Sky Sports Tennis.

Between November 2 and 9 the top eight women’s players in the world will face off in Saudi Arabia, looking to end their seasons on a high.

As with the ATP Finals in Turin, the WTA Finals hosts the top eight players from this calendar year.

What is the format of the WTA Finals?

The singles and doubles competition at the WTA Finals is played in a round-robin format. Players and teams are drawn into two separate groups and the top two finishers from each group advance to the semi-finals.

The top finisher from each group will face the runner-up from the other. The semi-finals and final are then played in a standard knockout format.

Image: Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek will be the two favourites at the 2024 WTA Finals

WTA Finals groups

Ranking position in brackets

Purple Group: [1] Aryna Sabalenka, [4] Jasmine Paolini, [5] Elena Rybakina, [7] Zheng Qinwen

Orange Group: [2] Iga Swiatek, [3] Coco Gauff, [6] Jessica Pegula, [8] Barbora Krejcikova

Schedule and Order of Play

Day 3: Monday November 4

  • Elena Rybakina [5] vs Qinwen Zheng [7]
  • Arnya Sabalenka [1] vs Jasmine Paolini [4]

Day 4: Tuesday November 5

  • Jessica Pegula [6] vs Barbora Krejcikova [8]
  • Iga Swiatek [2] vs Coco Gauff [3]

Matches and results so far

Day 1: Saturday November 2

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Highlights of the Wuhan Open final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen

Day 2: Sunday November 3

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Highlights of the WTA Finals match between Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova

How did players qualify for the WTA Finals?

Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka were the first two players in turn to qualify for the WTA Finals, with the latter now topping the WTA rankings after her win at the Wuhan Open.

The next four players in the list – Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have qualified too.

Gauff moved ahead of Italy’s Paolini into third place after the American following up her China Open title with a run to the semi-finals a week later at the Shanghai Masters, where the latter lost in the quarters.

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Coco Gauff hit a stunning backhand winner in her epic semi-final encounter with Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open

Zheng Qinwen, of China, and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will join the others at the prestigious season-ending tournament.

Zheng has enjoyed a break-out season and is the first player from China to qualify in singles for the WTA Finals since Li Na in 2013, who finished as runner-up that year narrowly losing to Serena Williams.

The 22-year-old picked up the gold medal at the Paris Olympics while her results this season saw her break into the Top 10 for the first time in her career.

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Highlights of Swiatek against Sabalenka from the Rome final

Krejcikova has a rich history at the WTA Finals and 2024 marks her sixth consecutive appearance at the tournament, having competed in singles previously in 2021 and in doubles since 2018, lifting the title with partner Katerina Siniakova in 2021.

Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia poses with the Ladies' Singles Trophy following victory against Jasmine Paolini of Italy during her Ladies' Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Image: Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova needs only to finish inside the top 20 rankings this year to book her place

This is the first year such a scenario is a qualification rule for the WTA, where the highest ranked Grand Slam champion ranked No 8-20 secures a spot, leaving Krejcikova with a great chance of making it to Saudi Arabia.

Who is the defending champion?

In 2023, Swiatek dominated Pegula 6-1 6-0 to win the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun and regain her world No 1 ranking from Sabalenka.

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, hold her trophy after her victory over Jessica Pegula, of the United States, in the women's singles final of the WTA Finals tennis championships, in Cancun, Mexico, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Image: Poland’s Swiatek is the defending champion, having beaten Jessica Pegula in the 2023 WTA Finals

The four-time Grand Slam winner broke Pegula five times and saved the only break point she faced en route to her first WTA Finals trophy in a match delayed a day due to rain.

The Pole went 5-0 at the WTA tour’s season-closing championship, winning all 10 sets she played and ceding a total of just 20 games.

Such form was the fewest by the tournament’s winner since 2003, when it returned to a round-robin format. The previous low in that time was the 34 games dropped by Justine Henin in 2007.

Where are the WTA Finals?

Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh will host the WTA Finals for the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 tournaments.

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The women’s professional tennis tour announced the three-year deal will see prize money for this November’s tournament raised to $15.25m (£12m), a 70-per-cent increase from 2023.

Previous hosts were Cancun (2023), Fort Worth (2022), Guadalajara (2021), Shenzhen (2019), Singapore (2014-2018), Istanbul (2011-2013), Doha (2008-2010), Madrid (2006-2007), Los Angeles (2002-2005, 1974-1976), Munich (2001), New York (1979-2000, 1977), Oakland (1978), Boca Raton (1972-1973).

Live on Sky Sports Tennis

  • WTA Finals Riyadh – (November 2-9)
  • Belgrade Open – ATP 250 (November 3-9)
  • Moselle Open, Metz – ATP 250 (November 3-9)
  • Nitto ATP Finals, Turin – (November 10-17)

Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.

Source : Sky Sports

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