Semifinal Showdown: WTA Finals 2025 Order of Play for Friday, November 7
The group stage drama has concluded, and the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, now enters its defining single-elimination phase. Friday, November 7, is Semifinals Day, where the final four singles players and doubles teams will battle for a spot in the Championship matches. The day is set for a high-intensity slate of four matches on Center Court, featuring the undefeated group winners against the resilient group runners-up.
Order of Play: Friday, November 7, 2025
All matches will be played on Center Court at the King Saud University Indoor Arena. All times are local to Riyadh, KSA (Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3).
| Time (AST/KSA) | Match Type | Matchup | Group Placement |
| Starting at 3:30 PM | Doubles SF 1 | [6] HSIEH Su-wei / JELENA OSTAPENKO vs. [7] TIMEA BABOS / LUISA STEFANI | Martina Navratilova Group Winner vs. Liezel Huber Group Runner-Up |
| Not before 6:00 PM | Singles SF 1 | [5] JESSICA PEGULA (USA) (Stefanie Graf Runner-Up) vs. [6] ELENA RYBAKINA (KAZ) (Serena Williams Winner) | – |
| Followed by | Singles SF 2 | [1] ARYNA SABALENKA (Stefanie Graf Winner) vs. [4] AMANDA ANISIMOVA (USA) (Serena Williams Runner-Up) | – |
| Followed by | Doubles SF 2 | [4] VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA / ELISE MERTENS vs. [2] KATERINA SINIAKOVA / TAYLOR TOWNSEND (USA) | Martina Navratilova Group Runner-Up vs. Liezel Huber Group Winner |
Note: Matches may be moved at the Supervisor’s discretion.
Singles Semifinal Previews: A Clash of Champions and Power
The two singles matches on Friday evening are a perfect showcase of the season’s elite talent, pitting power, precision, and history against each other.
Match 1 (Not before 6:00 PM AST): [5] Jessica Pegula (USA) vs. [6] Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
This first singles semifinal features the Stefanie Graf Group runner-up, Jessica Pegula, taking on the undefeated Serena Williams Group winner, Elena Rybakina.
Elena Rybakina has been arguably the most dominant force in Riyadh this week, sweeping her group with a perfect 3-0 record, including commanding wins over Iga Świątek and Amanda Anisimova. The World No. 6 enters the match with a stunning 80.2% first-serve points won percentage in the group stage—the best of any player in the field. Her ability to break serve, converting 75% of her break points, shows she’s not just relying on her serve; she’s dictating play from the return side as well. Rybakina is seeking her first-ever WTA Finals title in her third appearance.
Jessica Pegula fought through a highly competitive Stefanie Graf Group, securing her semifinal spot by virtue of her straight-sets win over the eliminated Jasmine Paolini on Thursday. Pegula, a 2023 finalist, is known for her rock-solid consistency and defense, which will be severely tested by Rybakina’s relentless power. Historically, Pegula holds a slim 3-2 overall lead in their head-to-head record, though Rybakina won their most recent encounter in straight sets, proving the high-altitude, fast surface in Riyadh perfectly suits her aggressive game. Pegula will need to leverage her superior court coverage and minimize errors to counter Rybakina’s firepower.
Match 2 (Followed by): [1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. [4] Amanda Anisimova (USA)
The nightcap brings a highly anticipated rematch between World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and American debutant Amanda Anisimova, who have already created two memorable Grand Slam moments this season.
Aryna Sabalenka enters the semifinal undefeated, having swept the Stefanie Graf Group 3-0 for the first time in her career. The four-time major champion is determined to capture her maiden WTA Finals crown and is riding a wave of confidence, highlighted by her 13-0 record in first-set tiebreaks in 2025. Sabalenka’s high-risk, high-reward game has been perfectly balanced this week, allowing her to dispatch defending champion Coco Gauff in straight sets on Thursday.
Amanda Anisimova is the tournament’s debutante turned disruptor. After losing her first group match, she rallied from a set and a break down against Madison Keys before conquering Iga Świątek in a tense three-set duel to qualify. The young American has shown immense resilience and has the firepower to match Sabalenka from the baseline. Although Sabalenka won their two biggest matches this year (Roland Garros and the US Open Final), Anisimova has a favorable 6-4 head-to-head record against the World No. 1 and stunned Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinals this year. This Semifinal is a clash of two of the tour’s hardest hitters, with the outcome potentially hinging on who can control their service game under maximum pressure.
Doubles Semifinals: The Road to the Final
The Doubles Semifinals will bracket the singles action, with the winners progressing to the final on Saturday.
- SF 1: [6] Hsieh Su-wei / Jelena Ostapenko vs. [7] Timea Babos / Luisa Stefani (Starting at 3:30 PM AST)
- Hsieh/Ostapenko swept the Martina Navratilova Group (3-0) and face the Liezel Huber Group runner-up, Babos/Stefani. Babos, a three-time WTA Finals champion, and Stefani dramatically ousted the defending champions Dabrowski/Routliffe to make this stage.
- SF 2: [4] Veronika Kudermetova / Elise Mertens vs. [2] Katerina Siniakova / Taylor Townsend (Followed by final singles match)
- This is a rematch of the 2025 US Open Semifinal, which Siniakova/Townsend won en route to the title. Siniakova/Townsend won the Liezel Huber Group (2-0), while Kudermetova/Mertens finished second in the Martina Navratilova Group, ensuring a high-stakes rematch between two top-ranked, major-winning teams.
The action on Friday will set the stage for the ultimate final of the 2025 season, making it a truly unmissable day of elite tennis.
