WTA Finals

The WTA Finals is an annual tournament held towards the end of the year (usually in November) that showcases the top singles and doubles players in women’s tennis.

Every year a “Race to the WTA Finals” is run by the Women’s Tennis Association where players earn points based on their performances throughout the year with the top eight singles players and doubles teams qualifying for the finals in November.

A female tennis player swinging a racket next to the words WTA Finals

WTA Finals 2023

Location:Cancun, Mexico
Court Surface:Indoor Hard Courts
Draw Size:8 Singles and 8 Doubles
Prize Money:$9,000,000

Dates

The 2023 WTA finals took place in Cancun, Mexico from the 29th of October to the 5th of November 2023, with the 2023 tournament being played in the same week as the Dow Tennis Classic in Michigan, USA, the Charlottesville Challenger in Virginia, and the Rolex Paris Masters in France.

Tickets

Tickets for the 2023 tournament in Cancun were sold through Boletomovil, with single and multi session tickets being available.

For more information on tickets for the 2023 tournament, check out the official website.

Players

A total of 8 singles players and 16 doubles players (8 teams) participated in the 2023 finals in Cancun (see below).

Singles Players

  1. Aryna Sabalenka
  2. Iga Swiatek
  3. Coco Gauff
  4. Jessica Pegula
  5. Elena Rybakina
  6. Ons Jabeur
  7. Markéta Vondroušová
  8. Karolína Muchová – Maria Sakkari

Doubles Teams

  1. Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova
  2. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula
  3. Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens
  4. Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs
  5. Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara
  6. Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe
  7. Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez
  8. Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva

Groups

Once all the players were confirmed for the 2023 tournament, they were split into two groups of four (see below) with a round-robin (RR) format being used to decide who would qualify for the semifinals.

Singles

Bacalar Group
  • Aryna Sabalenka
  • Elena Rybakina
  • Jessica Pegula
  • Maria Sakkari
Chetumal Group
  • Iga Swiatek
  • Coco Gauff
  • Ons Jabeur
  • Markéta Vondroušová

Doubles

Mahahual Group
  • Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova
  • Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula
  • Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva
  • Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe
Maya Ka’an Group
  • Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens
  • Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara
  • Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs
  • Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez

Schedule

Below is the schedule for the 2023 finals in Cancun, Mexico with the round-robin matches being played from the 29th of October to the 3rd of November, the semifinals on the 4th of November, and the finals on Sunday, the 5th of November 2023*.

DateSessionStart Time (Local)Round
Sunday, 29 October 2023114:30RR
Monday, 30 October 2023214:30RR
Tuesday, 31 October 2023314:30RR
Wednesday, 1 November 2023414:30RR
Thursday, 2 November 2023514:30RR
Friday, 3 November 2023614:30RR
Saturday, 4 November 2023714:30Semifinals
Sunday, 5 November 2023816:30Finals

Key: RR: Round Robin

*The semifinal matches were delayed so the 2023 final was played on Monday, the 6th of November 2023.

WTA Finals Prize Money and Points

The total prize money for the 2023 WTA Finals was $9,000,000 (2022: $5,000,000), with the prize money and points being split as follows.

Participation Fee

Singles players received a $198,000 participation fee, while doubles players received a participation fee of $90,000.

Group Stage

Singles players won $198,000 per group stage match they won while doubles teams won $36,000 for each group stage match they won.

Semifinals

Losing singles semifinalists won $54,000 in addition to the prize money they had already won from the group stage while losing doubles semifinalists won an additional $9,000.

Finals

Losing singles finalists received $756,000 in addition to the prize money they had already won from the group stage while losing doubles finalists received an extra $144,000.

The singles final winner received $1,476,000 in addition to the prize money they had already won from the group stage and the semifinals while the winning doubles team received an extra $306,000.

Minimum and Maximum Prize Money:

The minimum amount of prize money a singles player could win was $198,000 if they lost all three of their matches while the minimum for a doubles team was $90,000.

The maximum amount of prize money a singles player could win was $3,024,000 ($198,000 + ($198,000 x 3) + $756,000 + $1,476,000) if they won all three of their group stage matches on their way to lifting the trophy.

The maximum amount of prize money a doubles team could win was $648,000 ($90,000 + ($36,000 x 3) + $144,000 + $306,000) if they won all three of their group stage matches on their way to lifting the doubles trophy.

WTA Points

Players earned 125 points per match played, with an additional 125 points being earned for each win in the group stage.

The winning semifinalists will receive an additional 330 points, while you will receive an additional 420 points for winning the final.

A player or team who wins all their group stage matches, their semifinal match, and the final can earn a max of 1,500 ranking points (6 x 125 + 330 + 420).

2023 Payouts and Points

Singles
PlayerPrize Money – $Points
Iga Swiatek$3,078,0001,500
Jessica Pegula$1,602,0001,080
Aryna Sabalenka$648,000625
Coco Gauff$648,000625
Elena Rybakina$396,000500
Ons Jabeur$396,000500
Marketa Vondrousova$198,000375
Maria Sakkari$198,000375
Doubles
PlayerPrize Money – $Points
Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva$621,0001,375
Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez$315,000955
Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens$207,000750
Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe$207,000750
Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara$126,000500
Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova$126,000500
Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula$90,000375
Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs$90,000375

Past WTA Finals Winners (Singles)

Iga Swiatek is the current WTA finals singles champion after beating Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the 2023 singles final – see match highlights below.

Other past winners include Ashleigh Barty (2019), Petra Kvitová (2011), and Maria Sharapova (2004).

YearWinnerRunner UpScore in Final
2023Iga SwiatekJessica Pegula6-1, 6-0
2022Caroline GarciaAryna Sabalenka7-6, 6-4
2021Garbine MuguruzaAnett Kontaveit6–3, 7–5
2020N/A*N/A*N/A*
2019Ashleigh BartyElina Svitolina6–4, 6–3
2018Elina SvitolinaSloane Stephens3–6, 6–2, 6–2
2017Caroline WozniackiVenus Williams6–4, 6–4
2016Dominika CibulkováAngelique Kerber6–3, 6–4
2015Agnieszka RadwańskaPetra Kvitová6–2, 4–6, 6–3
2014Serena WilliamsSimona Halep6–3, 6–0
2013Serena WilliamsChina Li Na2–6, 6–3, 6–0
2012Serena WilliamsMaria Sharapova6–4, 6–3
2011Petra KvitováVictoria Azarenka7–5, 4–6, 6–3
2010Kim ClijstersCaroline Wozniacki6–3, 5–7, 6–3
2009Serena WilliamsVenus Williams6–2, 7–6
2008Venus WilliamsVera Zvonareva6–7, 6–0, 6–2
2007Justine HeninMaria Sharapova5–7, 7–5, 6–3
2006Justine HeninAmélie Mauresmo6–4, 6–3
2005Amélie MauresmoMary Pierce5–7, 7–6, 6–4
2004Maria SharapovaSerena Williams4–6, 6–2, 6–4
2003Kim ClijstersAmélie Mauresmo6–2, 6–0
2002Kim ClijstersSerena Williams7–5, 6–3
2001Serena WilliamsLindsay DavenportWalkover
2000Martina HingisMonica Seles6–7, 6–4, 6–4
1999Lindsay DavenportMartina Hingis6–4, 6–2
1998Martina HingisLindsay Davenport7–5, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
1997Jana NovotnáMary Pierce7–6, 6–2, 6–3
1996Steffi GrafMartina Hingis6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0
1995Steffi GrafAnke Huber6–1, 2–6, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3
1994Gabriela SabatiniLindsay Davenport6–3, 6–2, 6–4
1993Steffi GrafArantxa Sánchez Vicario6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1
1992Monica SelesMartina Navratilova7–5, 6–3, 6–1
1991Monica SelesMartina Navratilova6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–0
1990Monica SelesGabriela Sabatini6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1989Steffi GrafMartina Navratilova6–4, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1988Gabriela SabatiniPam Shriver7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1987Steffi GrafGabriela Sabatini4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–4
1986 (Nov)Martina NavratilovaSteffi Graf7–6, 6–3, 6–2
1986 (Mar)Martina NavratilovaHana Mandlíková6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1985Martina NavratilovaHelena Suková6–3, 7–5, 6–4
1984Martina NavratilovaChris Evert6–3, 7–5, 6–1
1983Martina NavratilovaChris Evert6–2, 6–0
1982Sylvia HanikaMartina Navratilova1–6, 6–3, 6–4
1981Martina NavratilovaAndrea Jaeger6–3, 7–6
1980Tracy AustinMartina Navratilova6–2, 2–6, 6–2
1979Martina NavratilovaTracy Austin6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1978Martina NavratilovaEvonne Goolagong Cawley7–6, 6–4
1977Chris EvertSue Barker2–6, 6–1, 6–1
1976Evonne Goolagong CawleyChris Evert6–3, 5–7, 6–3
1975Chris EvertMartina Navratilova6–4, 6–2
1974Evonne Goolagong CawleyChris Evert6–3, 6–4
1973Chris EvertNancy Richey Gunter6–3, 6–3
1972Chris EvertKerry Melville7–5, 6–4

*No competition were held in 2020.

Most WTA Finals Titles (Singles)

Martina Navratilova currently holds the record for most singles titles with a total of eight to her name.

PlayerTitles
Martina Navratilova8
Serena Williams5
Steffi Graf5
Chris Evert4
Kim Clijsters3
Monica Seles3
Evonne Goolagong Cawley2
Gabriela Sabatini2
Justine Henin2
Martina Hingis2
Agnieszka Radwańska1
Amélie Mauresmo1
Ashleigh Barty1
Caroline Wozniacki1
Dominika Cibulková1
Garbiñe Muguruza1
Jana Novotná1
Lindsay Davenport1
Maria Sharapova1
Petra Kvitová1
Sylvia Hanika1
Tracy Austin1
Ukraine Elina Svitolina1
Venus Williams1
Iga Swiatek1