2023 WTA Finals: The eight women who have qualified for Cancun

The line-up for the season-ending 2023 WTA Finals has been confirmed as the final three players have secured their tickets to Cancun, Mexico, on the back of results at the ongoing China Open.

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Elena Ryabakina all punched their tickets for the lucrative eight-player tournament after the US Open and Jessica Pegula joined them in the line-up as she secured her spot at the beginning of October.

That left four players in the running for the final three places for the trip to North America with Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur, Karolina Muchova and Maria Sakkari in the running.

However, Sakkari’s hopes of a third consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals were ended on Friday when she lost to Gauff in the quarter-final of the China Open.

It means reigning Wimbledon champion Vondrousova, three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur and French Open runner-up Muchova are the final players to be confirmed for the event with Greek Sakkari and American Madison Keys currently the alternates.

The 52nd edition of the WTA Finals will be staged at Plaza Quintana Roo in Cancun, Mexico, from October 29 to November 5.

Although the eight-player line-up has been confirmed, their final ranking positions for the event are still to be determined as there are still a few tournaments left before the season-ending finale.

Three of the eight players will make their debuts as Rybakina, Vondrousova and Muchova have qualified for the first time while last year’s champion Caroline Garcia will not defend her title.

Interestingly, there will be a new name on the trophy as none of the players in the line-up have previously won the title. The 2021 champion Garbine Muguruza is currently taking a break from the sport while 2019 champion Ashleigh Barty has retired (there was no tournament in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic).

Full WTA Finals line-up

Aryna Sabalenka
Previous WTA Finals appearances: 2021 (group stage) and 2022 (runner-up)

Iga Swiatek
Previous WTA Finals appearances: 2021 (group stage) and 2022 (semi-final)

Coco Gauff
Previous WTA Finals appearances: 2022 (group stage)

Elena Rybakina
Previous WTA Finals appearances: none

Jessica Pegula
Previous WTA Finals appearances: 2022 (group stage)

Marketa Vondrousova
Previous WTA Finals appearances: none

Ons Jabeur
Previous WTA Finals appearances: 2022 (group stage)

Karolina Muchova
Previous WTA Finals appearances: none

Reigning US Open champion Gauff and her fellow American Pegula will double up in Cancun as they have qualified for the doubles alongside Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens; Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova; and Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs. The final four spots will be determined in the coming weeks.

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