Sabalenka Defeats Gauff to Reach Semifinals
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated defending champion Coco Gauff of the United States 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Thursday, November 6, 2025, in Riyadh. This victory completed a clean sweep for Sabalenka in the Steffi Graf group and secured her place in the semifinals of the 2025 WTA Finals.
Match Summary
Before this match, Gauff led their head-to-head 6-5 and won their most recent encounter in the French Open final earlier this year in three sets. However, Sabalenka reversed the momentum with a strong finish in the first set and a commanding performance in the second.
First Set Details
- Gauff broke serve early in the opening game.
- Sabalenka responded with a break back in the fourth game.
- Gauff regained the lead before Sabalenka broke again at 4-5 to level the set.
- The set was decided in a tiebreak, where Sabalenka won four consecutive points from 2-4 and converted her second set point.
Second Set and Overall Performance
Gauff's performance dipped in the second set, with an increase in errors, while Sabalenka quickly surged to a 4-0 lead and closed out the set 6-2. This was Sabalenka’s third consecutive win in the group stage, evening their overall head-to-head record at 6-6.
“I was already working for the second set, to be honest. Something clicked, and I was able to break, and that game gave me a lot of confidence that I still got it in this set. And yeah, super happy to get this winning straight sets.” — Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s win advances her to the semifinals, reinforcing her strong form at the event.
Author's summary: Aryna Sabalenka overcame Coco Gauff with a resilient comeback and tactical edge, securing her semifinal spot at the 2025 WTA Finals with a confident straight-sets victory.