By Tony Fairbairn
- Iga Swiatek [2] v Elena Rybakina [6]
- Amanda Anisimova [4] v Madison Keys [7]
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina will lock horns in the second match of the round robin phase at the WTA Finals.
 |
|---|
Iga Swiatek [2] v Elena Rybakina [6] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Iga Swiatek [2] v Elena Rybakina [6] | H2H: Swiatek leads 6-4 |
| WTA Finals 2025 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Indoor Hard | Prize Money: $355,000 |
| Second on Center Court (Not before 14:00 GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
The second phase of matches at the WTA Finals will begin with the battle of the Wimbledon champions as Iga Swiatek takes on Elena Rybakina in what will be an 11th career meeting.
Both players secured dominant opening round robin wins as Swiatek only lost three games in her opening contest. The Pole has had a resurgence since her Wimbledon title this year and keeps going from strength to strength with her mix of power and precision being crucial to a much better second half of the season. Having won this title before, Swiatek will know that she will have to be consistent throughout the tournament and will believe she has what it takes to outlast her opponents in Saudi Arabia.
That will be put to the test against one of her closest rivals in the form of Rybakina, who only dropped four games in her opening match. The Kazakh is a streaky player but when she hits top form there is barely anyone who can stop her and she will be feeling confident given her late season surge. However, Rybakina’s ability to win big titles hasn’t been there in 2025 and the sixth seed will be hoping that the WTA Finals can turn that around heading into next season.
These two met at Roland Garros earlier this year where Rybakina outclassed Swiatek for a set and a half before the Kazakh lacked composure which allowed Swiatek to complete an astonishing comeback. In this match Swiatek will need a stronger start especially on serve as she won’t want to give Rybakina the same confidence on an indoor hard court. Meanwhile, Rybakina will need to remain mentally stable and calm in order to be consistent in this match.
Swiatek’s slightly longer holds of quality and composure will see her edge to victory in another thrilling contest between two world class players.
Prediction: Swiatek in three sets.
 |
|---|
Amanda Anisimova [4] v Madison Keys [7] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Amanda Anisimova [4] v Madison Keys [7] | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA Finals 2025 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Indoor Hard | Prize Money: $355,000 |
| Third on Center Court (Not before 15:30 GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
The second match of the day will see the two losers face each other as Amanda Anisimova battles Madison Keys in an all-American contest.
Anisimova suffered a bruising defeat to Rybakina in what was the American’s first ever match at the WTA Finals. It’s been a long yet rewarding season for Anisimova and that showed as she was unable to dictate the match on her terms. That would have been disappointing for Anisimova as that is something she has been so good at this season. Now, Anisimova will be hoping her backhand turns up as she will aim to put Keys under early pressure in this contest.
As for Keys, the Australian Open champion only won three games against Swiatek and continues to suffer the effects of an injury suffered in the second half of the year. It’s a credit to Keys’ character and determination to win that Keys travelled to Saudi Arabia but if Keys cannot raise her level then it may be questioned why she did play it in the first. Nevertheless, Keys will hope that she can have a good serving day in order to nullify Anisimova’s attacking qualities.
This is surprisingly a first career meeting between the pairing with this set to be an exciting encounter. Both players will know that a loss will mean near-elimination so the stakes are high in this contest. A slightly more consistent and clinical performance from Anisimova will edge her to victory in what should be a tight match.
Prediction: Anisimova in straight sets.
How to Watch/Follow WTA Finals 2025
| Live Stream | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
| Live Scores | Tennis Scores Powered By TNNSLIVE |
| Follow Britwatch - Sport in General, Brits in Particular! | |
|---|---|
| Soundcloud | |
| YouTube | |
| We may receive compensation for products purchased via affiliate links on this website | |