Martina Navratilova reveals why Aryna Sabalenka is ‘heavy favourite on any surface’ ahead of WTA Finals
Martina Navratilova has heaped praise on the “incredibly consistent” Aryna Sabalenka as she delivered her verdict on the world No 1’s chances at the upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Sabalenka has produced one of the best, if not the best, seasons of her career in 2025, highlighted by her run to a fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open back in September.
However, the Belarusian was also a champion at WTA 1000 events in Miami and Madrid and the WTA 500 Brisbane International, with four further runner-up finishes to her name — including at the Australian Open and French Open.
The 27-year-old leads the WTA Race to Riyadh with 9,990 points for the season and looks in pole position to seal back-to-back year-end world No 1 finishes.
Few know quite what it is like to compete at the very top of tennis as well as Navratilova, the winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles during her legendary career.
And, speaking to the WTA ahead of the year-end championships in Riyadh, the former world No 1 assessed how the current world No 1 had performed across 2025.
“Incredibly consistent and excellent,” said Navratilova.
“One major win, two finals and a semi-final. She was only three or four matches from winning the [Calendar] Grand Slam. Her consistency is not to be underestimated. There are so many players you can lose to these days, you have to be on your game at all times, and she was.
“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.
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“But she bounced back and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, where she was beaten by Amanda Anisimova rather than beating herself. Then she won the US Open pretty decisively.”
A two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open, the WTA Finals is arguably the biggest tournament Sabalenka has yet to win outside of Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The Belarusian has qualified for the WTA Finals every year since 2021, with her best result being a runner-up finish to Caroline Garcia in Fort Worth in 2022.
In Riyadh last season, Sabalenka won two of her three round-robin matches to top her group, before falling to eventual champion Gauff in the last four.
The 27-year-old enters Riyadh as many people’s pick to lift the title, and eight-time WTA Finals singles champion Navratilova predicts it will be tough to challenge her at the event.
She added: “She’s [Sabalenka] the heavy favourite 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.”
Action in Riyadh takes place from November 1-8, with the field now set following Elena Rybakina’s qualification earlier this week.
Sabalenka is set to be the top seed at the tournament, in her first event since her Wuhan Open semi-final defeat.
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