Aryna Sabalenka downs Jasmine Paolini to claim the semi-finals spot in WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka continued her unbeaten run in Riyadh to claim a berth in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals. The World No.1 ranked Belarusian beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-5 on Monday to emerge victorius in her group. The reigning US Open champion opened the WTA event with a win over her arch-rival Qinwen Zheng. Now, with her second win in the round-robin stage, Sabalenka has ensured a semi-final finish in the year-end event. Zheng Qinwen, on the other hand, redeemed her showing in the WTA Finals with a win over Elena Rybakina.

Aryna Sabalenka beats Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to enter the semi-finals in Riyadh

Having triumphed in three of her last four events, the Cincinnati Open, US Open, and the Wuhan Open, Sabalenka has now won 22 of her last 23 matches. She’s just one round-robin win away from securing the year-end No.1 ranking for the first time. Another win in Riyadh would let Sabalenka snatch the year-end No.1 title from Iga Swiatek, a move she failed to pull last season in the WTA Finals. Her final group-stage match against Rybakina on Wednesday could allow her to achieve a 3-0 record, solidifying her top spot.

Sabalenka came out strong, seizing control in the first set with a commanding 4-0 lead in just 36 minutes over Paolini. The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion looked set for a smooth straight-sets victory as she surged to a 4-2 lead in the second set. However, Paolini pushed back, adopting a defensive strategy and extending the rallies. Sabalenka began to falter, committing unforced errors, which allowed Paolini to level the set and even earn two set points on Sabalenka’s serve. But Sabalenka held firm, saving both set points and then winning the last two games to close out the match, keeping her undefeated record in Riyadh intact.

Paolini’s defeat drops her to a 1-1 record in the Purple Group. With Zheng Qinwen also moving to 1-1 after her three-set win over Rybakina, Day 3’s results have set up a high-stakes face-off. Paolini and Zheng will meet on Wednesday in a win-and-in match, with the winner advancing to her first WTA Finals semifinal, where she’ll face the top finisher from the Orange Group which has the likes of Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek fighting for the semi-finals spot.