The WTA Finals is always tricky for players at the end of what has been a long season but for half of the field in this year’s draw they have the added challenge of playing for the first time.
A total of four women will make their debut at the event which is being held at the Dickies Arena in Texas ahead of its expected return to China in 2023. Out of those who contested the WTA Finals 12 months ago, only three have qualified this year. Reigning champion Garbine Muguruza and runner-up Anette Kontaveit are among those who did not make the cut.
Inevitably the stark differences in the player lineups have prompted criticism from some who accuse women’s tennis players of lacking consistency. Although there are some notable exceptions with world No.1 Iga Swiatek already winning a staggering 64 matches this season.
“You have to be ready from the beginning because you’re not going to have these matches against players who are lower ranked, and you can kind of get into the rhythm during these matches. Now you have to be at a better level from the beginning. On the other hand, you can also lose a match and still be in the tournament,” Swiatek responded when asked about the high number of debuts in the event.
“When I look back at last year, which was my first WTA Finals, it didn’t really matter. All that mattered was how I felt on court.”
Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur is the highest-ranked player making her first appearance in the WTA Finals. The world No.2 has become the first Arab player in history to qualify for the event after enjoying a breakthrough season where she has contested back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She has also won titles in Madrid and Berlin.
Despite being the second seed, Jabeur faces a tough task in her group. On paper, she has a losing head-to-head record against two out of her three upcoming opponents. She trails Jessica Pegula (2-3) and Maria Sakkari (1-2) but leads Aryna Sabalenka (2-1) in their matchups.
“The group I feel like is very tough, but it’s the tournament. You have the best eight here, so everybody wants to win,” she said.
“Being part of the eight players that qualified here is something that I always wanted. I started wanting it two years ago, but it happened this year. Definitely proves I belong with the best players in the world.”
18-year-old Gauff is one of two American players hoping to triumph on home soil. The French Open finalist will be the youngest player to contest the tournament since Maria Sharapova in 2005. Despite her young age, Gauff has already established herself as a force to reckon with in the sport. However, she is one of three players in the tournament yet to win a title this year.
“I busted onto the scene in a very big way, and a lot of people were having opinions on whether or not I would do well or not,” said Guaff, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon aged 15.
“I think this just proves that all the work that I’ve put in is paying off. Obviously I want to go further. The WTA Finals is not where I want this chapter to end. I think it just shows that I’m progressing.’
“I think it allows me to take a step back and realize that I am one of the top eight players in the world, and I should be grateful for that.”
Gauff has a double duty in Texas after also qualifying for the doubles tournament alongside Jessica Pegula who is also making her singles debut. Pegula’s spot in the competition has been earned through her consistency throughout this year. She has reached the quarter-final stage in three out of four Grand Slam events. Outside of the majors, she won the biggest title of her career earlier this month at the Guadalajara Open, which is a WTA 1000 event.
“It’s just a testament to all the work I’ve put in and all the hours and the hard work that I’ve had to put in to earn that right. I always knew that maybe in a way it would almost be harder for me to earn that because that’s not what my family is known for,” said Pegula whose parents own the sports teams Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills.
“I’ve kind of stopped trying to prove that so much. In the end, I think it came naturally, which is nice.”
Completing the line-up of newcomers is somebody who has previously attended the championships as an alternate. Daria Kasatkina has enjoyed a revival of her career in recent months with a run to the semi-finals of the French Open before going on to win two Tour titles in North America during the summer.
“Physically I feel better than ever,” Kasatkina states. “Physically I am very good. At the end of the season I’m feeling good, and in the best shape, it’s a good sign. Mentally I feel good. For the moment I’m managing not bad.”
In WTA Finals history only Serena Williams (2001), Maria Sharapova (2004), Petra Kvitova (2011), Dominika Cibulkova (2016) and Ashleigh Barty (2019) have won the title on their debut.
