Tennis’s elite is hitting the court, as the world’s top eight players kick off the 2026 WTA Finals on Sunday in pursuit of this season’s title.
No. 1 Elena Rybakina looks to defend her 2025 crown against No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 3 Mirra Andreeva, No. 4 Coco Gauff, No. 5 Jessica Pegula, No. 6 Elina Svitolina, No. 7 Karolína Muchová, and No. 8 Linda Nosková.
“It’s definitely, every year different,” Rybakina said. “It’s a lot of tough players, all great champions.”
The 2026 event’s purse shrank from $15.5 million to $10 million after relocating from Saudi Arabia to California’s Indian Wells, with plans to stage the 2027 tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“The saga of the WTA Finals continues,” Pegula said in July. “I don’t necessarily think it’s our fault. There just tends to be a lot of world conflicts that seem to happen and get in the way.”
2026 WTA Finals coverage starts Sunday at 3 PM ET (Tennis Channel).
