Aryna Sabalenka offers injury update straight after losing to Mirra Andreeva at the WTA Finals
Aryna Sabalenka has been dealing with a knee injury in the closing stages of the WTA Tour season, but she is still competing with just a few days left of 2026 to go.
Sabalenka has endured an inconsistent WTA Finals campaign so far in her final tournament of 2026, suffering a victory and a defeat in her opening two matches.
The world No 2 comfortably defeated Karolina Muchova in straight sets in her first match, but she suffered a different fate in her follow-up.
Sabalenka was humbled by Mirra Andreeva, who raced to a 6-4, 6-0 victory to put the Belarusian’s WTA Finals progress in doubt.
She will need to defeat Elina Svitolina in her final round robin match to confirm her place in the semifinals of the WTA Finals and she has offered a fitness update after being asked about her knee.
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“It’s actually better than it was in the first day, first match,” said Sabalenka about how her body is holding up in the final stretches of the season.
“So I don’t know…maybe I need to hurt my knee again to play better tennis,” she joked.
Andreeva has now confirmed she will top the group, with Sabalenka and Svitolina fighting it out to earn second place to reach the semifinals.
Both Sabalenka and Svitolina have beaten Muchova in their match, but lost out to Andreeva.
Svitolina and Sabalenka will play on Friday, 13th November for a place in the semifinals and there is plenty more on the line for the world No 2.
Sabalenka has been replaced in the WTA Tour live rankings by Andreeva thanks to her two victories at the WTA Finals so far.
If Sabalenka does not qualify for the semifinals of the WTA Finals she will end the season as the world No 3, which is her lowest position for the past two seasons.
Additionally, if Sabalenka does not reach the knockout phase this year, it will be the first time she has failed to do so since her maiden appearance at the tournament in 2021.
Since 2021, Sabalenka has reached two semifinals and two finals at the year-end tournament, so she has been remarkably consistent.
Aryna Sabalenka’s WTA Finals record
- 2021: RR
- 2022: F
- 2023: SF
- 2024: SF
- 2025: F
After her first two matches at this year’s WTA Finals, Sabalenka holds a 13-10 win-loss record at the year-end tournament. That gives her a 56.52% winning percentage at the event, despite the fact she has never claimed the title.
Sabalenka might be sweating on reaching the knockout stages of the WTA Finals, but she is still only three victories away from lifting the title for the first time, such is the uniqueness of the tournament.
