Sabalenka sees off holder Gauff to reach semis of WTA Finals

VIDEO SHOWS: WTA FINALS HIGHLIGHTS  SHOWS: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (NOVEMBER 6, 2025) (WTA/DAZN – See restrictions) ARYNA SABALENKA (BRIGHT ORANGE OUTFIT) V COCO GAUFF 1. GAUFF SERVES / WINS POINT WITH FOREHAND WINNER / CELEBRATES 2. GAUFF SERVES / SABALENKA WINS RALLY WITH VOLLEY AT THE NET / FIST PUMPS 3. SABALENKA SERVES / WINS POINT AND TAKES THE FIRST SET 4. GAUFF SERVES / SABALENKA WINS POINT WITH FOREHAND DOWN THE LINE 5. SABALENKA SERVES AND TAKES THE MATCH 6. PLAYERS WALK TOWARDS NET AND SHAKE HANDS / SABALENKA THANKING CROWD JESSICA PEGULA (WHITE CAP) V JASMINE PAOLINI 7. PEGULA SERVES / PAOLINI HITS BALL INTO NET / PEGULA TAKES FIRST SET 8. PEGULA SERVES / WINS POINT AT NET 9. PAOLINI SERVES / WINS POINT WITH CROSS COURT SHOT THAT SKIMS TOP OF THE NET 10. PAOLINI HOLDS UP HANDS TO APOLOGISE TO PEGULA 11. VARIOUS OF CROWD APPLAUSE 12. PAOLINI SERVES / HITS BALL INTO NET / PEGULA WINS MATCH 13. PEGULA FIST PUMP / PLAYERS SHAKE HANDS AT NET STORY: Aryna Sabalenka roared back from a slow start to beat Coco Gauff 7-6(5) 6-2 and clinch a semi-final spot at the season-ending WTA Finals on Thursday (November, 6), sending the defending champion packing and assuring Jessica Pegula of a place in the last four. The world number one, who is seeking a maiden trophy in the event since a run to the final three years ago, finished top of the Steffi Graf Group and next takes on Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of their U.S. Open title clash. American Pegula meets the in-form Kazakh Elena Rybakina, who qualified for the semis as the best player from the Serena Williams Group to continue her own bid for a maiden trophy in the season finale in Saudi Arabia. Gauff's erratic serve had been a concern after her opening defeat by Pegula, but it was the 21-year-old's aggressive return game that stood out against Sabalenka as she broke to start the match and went 4-2 up at the King Saud University Sports Arena. Sabalenka let out a scream after she saved break points and held for 3-4 in the rematch of the French Open title clash that she lost, and the fired-up Belarusian soon broke to draw level at 5-5 with a neat forehand winner. Sabalenka showed more fight in the tiebreak to come from behind and take the first set, and there was no stopping the 27-year-old when she eased to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Earlier, Pegula secured a breezy 6-2 6-3 victory over the already-eliminated Jasmine Paolini and said she would work out a strategy for her next opponent despite knowing there was a slim chance of an exit if Gauff prevailed in three sets. Pegula gained the upper hand, winning five out of the first six games after Paolini faltered on her serve early, before the 2023 runner-up took the first set, giving her Italian opponent no chance. Paolini withstood some powerful baseline hitting in the next set to hold in the opening game but Pegula continued to heap on the pressure and broke for the third time in the contest, paving the way for a comprehensive victory. (Production: Lucy Thomson, Shrivathsa Sridhar) 

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