Rybakina Stuns Swiatek to Reach WTA Finals Semis in Riyadh

Rybakina Stuns Swiatek to Progress at WTA Finals in Riyadh

Elena Rybakina pulled off one of the most dominant comebacks of the season to defeat world number two Iga Swiatek and book her place in the WTA Finals semi-finals in Riyadh.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion, seeded sixth, rebounded from a slow start to destroy Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, ending a four-match losing streak against the Polish star and extending her own winning run to eight matches.

Rybakina Dismantles Swiatek After Opening Set Loss

Swiatek looked in control early, winning the opening set with a confident break of serve. But from the second set onward, it was all Rybakina.

• Final 13 Games: Rybakina won 12 of them

• Aces: Rybakina added to her 2025 tour-leading tally (now at 480)

• Swiatek Errors: 42 unforced errors, including 36 in sets 2 & 3

• Momentum Shift: Swiatek’s 1st serve points dropped from 90% to 53%

The Kazakh player broke Swiatek immediately in the third and never looked back, closing the match with a second serve ace.

“Mentally, I’m happy that I stayed focused. I got some confidence in the second set and everything was going my way,”

said Rybakina post-match.

“Hopefully I will play like that through the whole tournament.”

Anisimova’s Comeback Keeps Her in the Hunt

Later in the day, Amanda Anisimova pulled off her own comeback win, defeating Madison Keys 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to stay in the hunt for the semi-finals.

After going down a set and a break, the American roared back to win 12 of the next 15 games, overcoming a frustrated start with resilience and power.

• This was Anisimova’s first WTA Finals appearance

• Keys appeared to refuse a handshake, citing illness

Anisimova’s win also confirmed Rybakina’s place in the semi-finals. The 22-year-old now faces Swiatek in a must-win clash on Wednesday to decide the second semi-finalist from the group.

What’s at Stake in Riyadh?

The WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia features the top 8 players in the world, battling for one of the sport’s most lucrative prizes — $15.5 million in total prize money.

While Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have dominated much of 2025, Rybakina’s return to form is sending shockwaves through the draw.

This was Swiatek’s first loss after winning the opening set since January’s Australian Open — and her third 6-0 final set loss of the season, a stat not seen since 2013.