The WTA Tour has just about finished when it comes to the big events, with just the WTA Finals to look forward to for the game’s top stars.
Coco Gauff will be looking to defend the title she won last year in Riyadh, and with competition as fierce as ever on the WTA, it promises to be quite the event.
Aryna Sabalenka is arguably the form player, having been sat at the summit of the world rankings all year and the world number one will want to build on her success.
One player who is quietly slipping under the radar for the end-of-year event is Amanda Anisimova, and perhaps it’s extremely dangerous for people to write her off in her debut year at the event.
Amanda Anisimova can end year with a flourish and win WTA Finals
The world number four should be well rested coming into this event, having chosen not to play after winning the China Open earlier this month.
Anisimova came through that tournament with aplomb, thrashing Gauff in under an hour in the semifinals and then beating Linda Noskova in the final.
Immediately after, Anisimova claimed she was injured and withdrew from the Wuhan Open, with no tennis being played by her since that decision.
However, it feels like a good decision for her to rest and she should come into the Riyadh event looking to make waves and go all the way to the title.
Anisimova was praised by Sabalenka after losing in the final of the US Open to her, but that came months after she didn’t win a single game in defeat to Iga Swiatek at the Wimbledon final.
That showcases unbelievable mental strength, and that is another factor that should put her in good standing for the WTA Finals.
Furthermore, Anisimova isn’t fazed by facing the biggest players on the grandest stages and that could see her come into her element at the WTA Finals.
WTA Finals could be most closely contested tournament in years
With so many of the top eight players in the women’s game hitting form at the right time going into the finals, it really does have the potential to be brilliant.
With Anisimova catching the eye on the Asian swing and in the final two Grand Slams of 2025, it really is quite something that she’s managed to rise up the rankings and make the event.
Given that she’s arguably been the form player in the second half of the year and boasts wins over the top three players in the world at various tournaments, she will bring a large degree of confidence to the event.
Sabalenka, Swiatek and Gauff might be fancied as the in-form Grand Slam winners this year but Anisimova shouldn’t be slept on and she is capable of causing a real stir in Riyadh.
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