Aryna Sabalenka gives her verdict on the courts and balls at the WTA Finals after training on them

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Aryna Sabalenka has provided an assessment of the courts and balls at the WTA Finals.

2024 has been kind to the 26-year-old, who has captured four titles this season, two of which are Grand Slam titles.

Now the new World number one is aiming to end her impressive season on a high by winning the WTA Finals for the first time.

Aryna Sabalenka arrived early in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to prepare for the tournament ahead of her first match on Saturday afternoon.

What did Aryna Sabalenka say about the courts and balls at the WTA Finals?

Sabalenka is the WTA Finals’ first event since winning the Wuhan Open for the third time and maintained her undefeated streak at the tournament.

During her pre-WTA Finals press conference, the three-time Grand Slam champion commented on the conditions ahead of the season-ending event and how it differs from the recent tournaments in China.

“Well, first of all about conditions. It is definitely much faster than it was in China,” the reigning Australian and US Open champion said.

“I probably like it more than there because China was so heavy on the legs, on the body. Here it’s not like the fastest surface, but still it’s a bit faster than it was in China.

“The ball is a bit lighter because China was heavy, heavy on the body. Overall it was tough. I would say I like the conditions here. We’ll see as we start how it goes.”

Who is Aryna Sabalenka’s first opponent at the WTA Finals?

Sabalenka will compete in the very first match of the 2024 WTA Finals.

She is in the purple group and will start her campaign against World number seven and Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng.

Sabalenka has Zheng’s number in 2024, having won all three of their meetings at the Australian Open final, US Open quarter-final and Wuhan Open final.

Zheng came closest in Wuhan, when she took a set off Sabalenka for the very first time. The 22-year-old enters her debut WTA Finals after winning the Tokyo Open on Sunday and she will be confident about beating Sabalenka for the first time in Riyadh.