“The heavy favorite on any surface” – Martina Navratilova makes ‘deadly’ claim about Aryna Sabalenka as she assesses her WTA Finals chances
Martina Navratilova has delivered an overwhelmingly positive prediction for Aryna Sabalenka’s chances of success at the upcoming 2025 WTA Finals.
According to Navratilova, Sabalenka’s prowess on the kind of court that contenders will have to play on at the tournament makes her the favorite.
Reflecting on the reigning World No. 1’s performances and results at the Majors this year, Martina Navratilova told the official website of the WTA Tour:
“She peaked well for all the majors. She’s still rueing the French Open more than anything. She could have won that match against Coco Gauff. But she bounced back and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, where she was beaten by Amanda Anisimova rather than beating herself. Then she won the US Open pretty decisively.”
The Czech-American tennis legend, who reigned supreme in both women’s singles and doubles tennis during her playing days, went on to boldly predict Aryna Sabalenka’s fate at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“She’s the heavy favorite on any surface, but particularly on a medium-pace hard court where you get a solid bounce and good footing. Her shots pay off on any surface and she has enough time to get into position. It’s fast enough for her to do damage and slow enough for her to prepare for her shots. She’s deadly on this stuff,” Navratilova added.
Aryna Sabalenka heads into WTA Finals 2025 on the back of SF heartbreak at Wuhan Open
Aryna Sabalenka arrived in Wuhan, China, for the 2025 Wuhan Open with a staggering record. The Belarusian had previously participated at the WTA 1000 hardcourt event thrice and won the title on all three occasions. Unsurprisingly, this remarkable statistic made her the favorite this time around as well.
However, a fourth consecutive title in Wuhan wasn’t to be for the reigning World No. 1, as Jessica Pegula registered an impressive 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) comeback victory against the Belarusian. In the immediate aftermath of the result, Sabalenka’s frustrations boiled over, as she threw her racket in the direction of a ball kid.
Meanwhile, the Belarusian’s victorious opponent, Jessica Pegula, had to ultimately settle for second best as she was defeated in the final by compatriot Coco Gauff, who, interestingly, is the reigning WTA Finals champion. The 2025 edition of the prestigious year-end event is set to commence on Saturday, November 1, with Sabalenka, Pegula and Gauff slated to be joined by Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini.
