Sabalenka Widens Lead in PIF Race to WTA Finals After Madrid Win

Aryna Sabalenka has significantly strengthened her hold on the top position in the PIF Race to the WTA Finals. This follows her dominant performance at the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, where she secured 1,000 points by winning the title on Saturday, dropping just one set over the two weeks.

The player, who recently turned 27, has demonstrated exceptional form this season. Her triumph in Madrid marked her fourth consecutive final appearance and sixth overall for the year. Earlier in the season, she also claimed titles at the WTA 1000 Miami Open and the WTA 500 Brisbane International.

Sabalenka also reached the final stage at the WTA 1000 BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart), and the season`s first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open. These consistent strong results have boosted her season point total to nearly 5,000 points in the race to qualify for the prestigious WTA Finals in Riyadh.

Elsewhere on the leaderboard, former WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina advanced nine places to reach the No. 7 position, moving into the qualification zone after reaching the semifinals in Madrid.

In the doubles race, Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko earned 390 points by reaching the Madrid semifinals. This increased their lead in third place. Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, who did not compete in Madrid, continue to lead the doubles standings due to their strong start to the season.

The final WTA 1000 clay-court tournament of the season, the Internazionali BNL d`Italia in Rome, begins this week, offering players another opportunity to earn crucial qualification points.

The WTA Finals in Riyadh feature the top 8 singles players and doubles teams based on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals standings. A special rule grants the 8th spot to a Grand Slam winner ranked between 8th and 20th if applicable. This prestigious event brings together the world`s eight best singles players and doubles teams to compete in a round-robin format. The singles champion receives the Billie Jean King Trophy, while the doubles champions are awarded the Martina Navratilova Trophy.