Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2025: The 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF once again demonstrated the growing popularity of tennis in Saudi Arabia as Day 2 welcomed more sizeable crowds to witness the world's best players in action. Following the impressive turnout for Saturday's opening day, Sunday built on the momentum, despite it being the first day of the working week in Riyadh. Passionate fans filled the seats at the state-of-the-art King Saud University Indoor Arena and were treated to tennis of the highest calibre. World No. 1 and top seed Aryna Sabalenka thrilled the fans with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory over Italian eighth seed Jasmine Paolini to begin her tournament in the Stefanie Graf Group in fine style. The Belarusian superstar then thanked the crowd for their 'amazing' support and was delighted to see the increasing interest in tennis in Saudi Arabia. Sabalenka, 27, said: 'The crowd is much better. When I played my first match here last year, it wasn't that crowded, but this year, from the very first match, we just saw the crowd and the support was amazing. I'm super happy to see how tennis is growing here. 'Seeing all the fans cheering for me and holding up signs, that was amazing. I really enjoy playing in front of them, and I hope with every match we play, there will be more and more people.' Paolini also reserved a special mention for the fans having now played in both days following her opening victory in the doubles alongside fellow Italian Sara Errani on Saturday. Paolini, 29, said: 'Today I had big support. It's great to have more fans this year and it's great to have more fans watching tennis. I love it when there is a big crowd.' The crowd continued to deliver the energy for the second singles match as 2024 WTA Finals champion and third seed Coco Gauff began her title defence against fellow American Jessica Pegula. An entertaining contest went the way of fifth seed Pegula, who sealed a 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 win to join Sabalenka at the top of the Stefanie Graf Group. The impressive crowd sizes and passionate energy provided further examples of the sustained increase in popularity tennis is experiencing in Saudi Arabia. Since the WTA Finals made history in Riyadh 12 months ago by becoming the first professional women's tennis tournament to be held in the Kingdom, the sport has grown from strength to strength. Over the past year, female participation has surged 24%, driven by the Saudi Tennis Federation's nationwide programs to expand access and training opportunities. This momentum has been further amplified by the global spotlight of the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Those efforts from the STF are also seen in year-round initiatives, including the 'Tennis for All' program, which, in partnership with 'Sports for All', has introduced the sport to more than 53,000 children in 2025 alone. Additionally, tennis' progress in Saudi Arabia is tangible at the competitive and elite levels, too; the STF organised a record 77 local tournaments in 2024, while there are now 79 Saudi players who hold international rankings - also a record. A thriving Saudi tennis ecosystem is only enhanced by the presence of high-profile international tournaments, with the WTA Finals Riyadh a key part of the strategy. The prestigious season-ending tournament, featuring only the top eight singles player and top eight doubles teams, continues Monday with more unmissable matches. Top seeds Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini will aim to extend their winning start against fellow unbeaten pair Su-Wei Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko, seeded sixth, when the doubles kick off the action from 3pm. That will be followed by two blockbuster singles matches, starting with second seed Iga Swiatek against sixth seed Elena Rybakina before a crucial clash between fourth seed Amanda Anisimova and seventh seed Madison Keys. The day will conclude with the second doubles match featuring fourth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens against eighth seeds Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs. Results - Sunday 2 November, Day 2 of 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF: Singles: Aryna Sabalenka [Seeded 1] defeated Jasmine Paolini [8] 6-3 6-1 Jessica Pegula [5] def. Coco Gauf [3] 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 Doubles: Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend [2] def. Timea Babos & Luisa Stefani [7] 6-2 3-6 10-6 Gabriela Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe [3] def. Mirra Andreeva & Diana Shnaider [5] 6-3 7-6(2)
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