Venue, dates, prize money: Everything you ever wanted to know about the 2024 WTA Finals (but never had time to find out)

WHAT ARE THE WTA FINALS?

The WTA Finals are the season-ending finale to the women’s tennis season, where the top eight singles players and doubles teams compete for the championship. The first event was played in 1972, held in Boca Raton, Florida.

WHERE WILL THE 2024 WTA FINALS BE HELD?

The 2024 WTA Finals will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of a three-year deal with the Saudi Tennis Federation to host the Finals. The event will be held from November 2-9.

WHY IS THE 2024 WTA FINALS CONTROVERSIAL?

Because of where it’s being played. Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has been widely criticised, while women’s rights are restricted and it is illegal to be gay.

WHAT PRIZE MONEY IS ON OFFER AT THE 2024 WTA FINALS?

The 2024 Finals will feature record prize money of $15.25 million, which the Saudi Tennis Federation and WTA say is guaranteed to rise in both 2025 and 2026. The breakdown of this year’s prize money will be revealed closer to the start date.

WHO IS THE DEFENDING CHAMPION AT THE WTA FINALS?

Iga Swiatek won the WTA Finals in 2023, beating Jessica Pegula in the final. The event was held in Cancun, Mexico, a late decision by the WTA. The competition was also heavily criticised by players and coaches because of the condition of the courts, not to mention the high winds the players faced all week.

WTA Finals Champion and New World No.1 Iga Swiatek's MAGNIFICENT moments in Cancun!👏👏

 

WHO WON THE WTA FINALS DOUBLES TITLE IN 2023?

Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva won the doubles title at the WTA Finals in 2023, beating Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez in the final.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE WTA FINALS?

The eight singles players are divided into two groups and play each player in their group. The top two in each group qualify for the semi-finals.

WHO ARE THE PREVIOUS WTA FINALS WINNERS?

The singles roll of honour is as follows:

    • Martina Navratilova (eight titles)
  • Steffi Graf and Serena Williams (five titles)
  • Chrissie Evert (four titles)
  • Monica Seles and Kim Clijsters (three titles)
  • Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin (two titles)
  • Tracy Austin, Sylvia Hanika, Jana Novotna, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Amelie Mauresmo, Venus Williams, Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Dominika Cibulkova, Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Ash Barty, Garbine Muguruza, Caroline Garcia, Iga Swiatek (one title)

 

In doubles, the winners are as follows:

1972 – no doubles played

  • Rosemary Casals/ Margaret Court (1973)
  • Rosemary Casals/ Billie Jean King (1974)
  • Margaret Court/ Virginia Wade (1975)
  • Billie Jean King/ Betty Stove (1976)
  • Martina Navratilova/ Betty Stove (1977)
  • Billie Jean King/ Martina Navratilova (1978)
  • Françoise Durr/ Betty Stove (1979)
  • Billie Jean King / Martina Navratilova (1980)
  • Martina Navratilova/ Pam Shriver (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
  • Hana Mandlikova/ Wendy Turnbull (1986 – March)
  • Martina Navratilova/ Pam Shriver (1986 – November, 1987, 1988, 1989)
  • Kathy Jordan/ Elizabeth Smylie (1990)
  • Martina Navratilova/ Pam Shriver (1991)
  • Arantxa Sanchez Vicario/ Helena Sukova (1992)
  • Gigi Fernandez/ Natalia Zvereva (1993, 1994)
  • Jana Novtona/ Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (1995)
  • Lindsay Davenport/ Mary Joe Fernandez (1996)
  • Lindsay Davenport/ Jana Novotna (1997)
  • Lindsay Davenport/ Natasha Zvereva (1998)
  • Martina Hingis/ Anna Kournikova (1999, 2000)
  • Lisa Raymond/ Rennae Stubbs (2001)
  • Elena Dementieva/ Janette Husarova (2002)
  • Virginia Ruano Pascual/ Paola Suarez (2003)
  • Nadia Petrova/ Meghann Shaughnessy (2004)
  • Lisa Raymond/ Samantha Stosur (2005, 2006)
  • Cara Black/ Liezel Huber (2007, 2008)
  • Nuria Llagostera Vives/ Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (2009)
  • Gisela Dulko/ Flavia Pennetta (2010)
  • Liezel Huber/ Lisa Raymond (2011)
  • Maria Kirilenko/ Nadia Petrova (2012)
  • Hsieh Su-wei/ Peng Shuai (2013)
  • Cara Black/ Sania Mirza (2014)
  • Martina Hingis/ Sania Mirza (2015)
  • Ekaterina Makarova/ Elena Vesnina (2016)
  • Timea Babos/ Andrea Hlavackova (2017)
  • Timea Babos/ Kristina Mladenovic (2018, 2019)
  • 2020 – not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Barbora Krejcikova/ Katerina Siniakova (2021)
  • Veronika Kudermetova/ Elise Mertens (2022)

WHAT RANKING POINTS ARE ON OFFER AT THE WTA FINALS?

A player can win a maximum of 1500 ranking points by winning the year-end crown.

The WTA Finals ranking points for the singles and doubles events are:

  • 125 points per round-robin match played
  • 125 points per round-robin win
  • 330 points for a semi-final win
  • 420 points for the final win