Martina Navratilova thinks the WTA Finals conditions will perfectly suit Aryna Sabalenka's game as one of the greatest players in tennis history warns the Belarusian could easily come up with "deadly stuff" in Riyadh.
Just as was the case last year, Sabalenka made the WTA Finals as the top seed. While the Belarusian tennis star was the top favorite to win the main glory in the WTA Finals' inaugural edition in Riyadh last year, she didn't manage to do so after losing to Coco Gauff in the semifinal. However, it should be noted that the world No. 1 played lots of tennis in late 2024 and that she didn't look the freshest in Riyadh.
Learning from what happened last year, Sabalenka decided to take a break after this year's US Open – she missed Beijing and only competed in Wuhan. This week, she also spent time in Dubai vacationing with Paula Badosa.
Ahead of the WTA Finals, Navratilova was asked to preview Sabalenka's chances. And the former 18-time Grand Slam champion responded by pretty much describing the Riyadh conditions as perfect for the world No. 1.
Navratilova: The court will be fast enough for Sabalenka to do damage and slow enough for her to prepare for her shots
“She (Aryna) is the heavy favorite 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," Navratilova told the WTA website.
For Sabalenka, this will be her fifth consecutive WTA Finals appearance. The Belarusian was the closest to winning the season-ending tournament in 2022, when she was beaten by Caroline Garcia in the final.
