WTA Finals open in California on 8 Nov with Rybakina leading
The 2026 WTA Finals begin on 8 Nov at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California and run to 15 Nov, with live coverage on Sky Sports. World No 1 Elena Rybakina, who won the Australian Open and U.S. Open this year, leads the eight-player field as defending champion. Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Rybakina in the BNP Paribas Open final at the same venue in March, is named by Sky Sports and commentator Marion Bartoli as a main contender. Five players return to the event and three are making their debut. The round-robin format requires consistent play from the first match.
Key facts
- Mirra Andreeva, 19, won the French Open clay title, her first Grand Slam.
- Linda Nosková, 21, won Wimbledon by defeating Karolína Muchová.
- All eight participants have won at least one Grand Slam or WTA 1000 title in 2026.
- Sabalenka's 12-match winning streak in March included wins over Rybakina and Gauff.
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Why it matters
The event sets the season's year-end ranking of the top women's tennis players in the desert venue.
What changed
First published from Yahoo Sports, Sky Sports and CNA