WTA

Anisimova went into the match having won six of their previous 10 meetings, though they have met at each of the past three Grand Slams and Sabalenka edged that particular head-to-head two wins to one.

She prevailed in straight sets in the French Open fourth round and the US Open final, while Anisimova was victorious over three sets in their Wimbledon semi-final.

Their semi-final in Riyadh promised much – and delivered.

The first two games took 18 minutes to complete. Anisimova saved three break points to hold in the opener, then Sabalenka fought back from 0-40 down to do likewise.

The match clock had just ticked past an hour when Sabalenka eventually clinched the first set.

Anisimova, who failed to win the opening set in all four of her matches during her WTA Finals debut, responded brilliantly by racing into a 4-0 lead in the second and levelling the contest.

In a tight decider, Sabalenka’s backhand return winner to settle the seventh game sealed a decisive break of serve, and there was a warm embrace between the two players at the net when Anisimova sent a forehand wide on match point.

“I told Amanda that she should be proud of her season – she’s played incredible tennis for the whole season and it’s just the beginning,” said Sabalenka.

“I know she’s probably disappointed but there are many more things coming her way.”

Second alternate Alexandrova had sat on the sidelines all week but her patience proved worthwhile on Wednesday when Keys – unable to advance – withdrew just hours before her match with Rybakina.

The 30-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025, received the nod after fellow Russian and first option Mirra Andreeva, who is also competing in the doubles, declared she was not fit to play.

Alexandrova started impressively but squandered three break points before returning a forehand wide to hand the first break and a 5-4 lead to Rybakina.

The big-hitting Rybakina, sporting tape on her serving shoulder, served out the first set to love before breaking early in the second courtesy of a backhand error off her opponent’s racquet.

As Alexandrova’s serve faltered, Rybakina stepped up a gear and she doubled her advantage with a brutal forehand winner on break point, only to immediately lose one of her breaks when serving for the match.

Her struggle to get over the finish line continued, forced to save two break points in her next service game, before eventually sealing victory on her second match point as Alexandrova sent a backhand long.

“Each win gives you confidence,” said Rybakina, 26. “Hopefully I can continue.”

In the doubles, 2022 champions Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens confirmed their semi-final berth with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Italian pair Paolini and Sara Errani.

They join Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko in advancing from the Martina Navratilova Group.

French Open champion Gauff reset admirably following her scrappy display against Pegula and reasserted herself as a title challenger with this solid performance.

She produced just three double faults and reduced her total unforced errors by over half (30), with her more consistent serving in particular providing a significant confidence boost before her meeting with Sabalenka.

Displaying calmness and confidence from the back of the court, Gauff appeared largely in control after taking charge of the opening set.

After breaking world number eight Paolini to love at the first opportunity, Gauff withstood three break points to establish a commanding 3-0 lead – and struck back immediately when the Italian offered a response, before serving out the set.

With 29-year-old Paolini’s resistance fading, Gauff converted the first break point of the second set following a superb forehand winner, before sealing victory with a dominant five-game streak.

“I was just trying to play relaxed,” said Gauff. “I played a WTA Finals where I lost all three matches and I was determined to not make a repeat of that.

“I know today was important to keep myself in the tournament.”

Arango, who was dealing with illness, battled hard in the opening set but faded in the second as the match was wrapped up in 95 minutes.

“You showed so much fight and gave the people a show,” Jovic said.

“It’s not easy to start out on tour when you’re young… but people like Emiliana make it easier and always have a smile on their face.”

Jovic featured in all four Grand Slams this year – reaching the second round of the Australian Open, French Open and US Open, while she exited Wimbledon in round one.

After beginning the season with a 22-match unbeaten run on the second-tier ITF Tour, Mboko has shown over the past two weeks that she can mix it with the elite – beating Grand Slam winners Coco Gauff, Sofia Kenin, Elena Rybakina and Osaka.

It’s validation of hard work from the age of three, and for parents who landed in a very different United States in 1999 – one which provided solace from political unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But it’s in Toronto where Mboko – who was born in Charlotte in the US – was inspired to play tennis.

“I remember going there as a kid and watching all the great players playing,” Mboko told the Women’s Tennis Association.

“We were watching a lot of Serena and Venus [Williams], and that’s where I took a lot of inspiration, because Serena was literally the greatest of all time. I used to see how the pros are and I used to be in so much awe of them. And now I’m seeing them like right beside me.”

Mboko’s coach Nathalie Tauziat – a former world number three and Wimbledon finalist in the 1998 – has overseen Mboko’s remarkable form after previously guiding her in the junior ranks.

“I think what is important for her is to see us not panic when something happens. I remember at the beginning of the year, she always told me: ‘Oh, you’re so calm during the match,” Tauziat said.

“The US Open is the objective – who knows, maybe she can do something good? Here, we are going match by match, and hoping for no injury.”

Grants have also recently been made available towards the cost of any fertility treatment, and earlier this year the WTA introduced paid maternity leave for the first time.

More than 320 players are now eligible for up to 12 months paid leave – with everyone receiving the same amount, irrespective of their ranking.

Returning to the tour after maternity leave started to become easier when the WTA changed the rules before the 2019 season.

New mothers are able to use their previous ranking to enter 12 tournaments over a three-year period from the birth of their child.

The WTA also offers access to a health team, which offers physical assessments, mental health support and guidance on a staged return to play for new mothers and pregnant players.

German Tatjana Maria, who is ranked 81st in the world, has two children and returned to the tour after both pregnancies.

The 37-year-old welcomed the action by the WTA but believes more can be done to assist mothers on tour.

“I think there is still opportunities to help the WTA players and the mums on tour,” she told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Even now having two kids on tour there are still issues. The WTA could change a little bit, whether it is [related to] hotel rooms or accreditation to make life easier.

“It is helpful to help [as they are doing] but also to help the mums on tour.”

Tennis is not the first sport to offer support to women wishing to freeze their eggs, with the American basketball league the WNBA offering up to $60,000 (£52,500) reimbursement to players for fertility treatment including egg freezing.

High-profile athletes have spoken about their decision to freeze their eggs, including England cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and former England netballer Geva Mentor.

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini recovered from a slow start to reach the Italian Open final with a 7-5 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns.

World number five Paolini struggled in the early stages and faced a set point when trailing 5-3 in the opener, but American Stearns was unable to hold serve.

The home favourite overturned the deficit to take the opening set before growing in confidence in the second.

Paolini’s win makes her the first Italian woman to reach the singles final in Rome since 2014 when her current doubles partner, Sara Errani, was beaten by Serena Williams.

She is attempting to become Italy’s first home women’s singles champion for 40 years.

Her final opponent will be either American world number three Coco Gauff or China’s Zheng Qinwen, who knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.

“At the beginning, I was feeling so slow,” Paolini, 29, told Sky Sports.

“I told myself I had to hit the ball harder because she was playing amazing, but I managed to stay in there somehow and I won the match and I’m really happy about it.

“In the first round I was nervous and in the second also, and maybe again today, but the crowd was unbelievable and they helped me a lot. It’s beautiful to play here in Italy and they support us no matter what, so that is the most important thing.”

Asked about the final, Paolini said of her prospective opponents: “They are both very strong players with good forehands and can play with speed on the clay court. For sure, my coach will watch their match and we will prepare our tactics.”

Raffaella Reggi was the last Italian woman to win the title, in 1985.