Aryna Sabalenka concluded her 2026 season with a disappointing exit from the WTA Finals on Friday.
The four-time Grand Slam champion suffered a defeat against Elina Svitolina in their final round-robin match, which eliminated her from the year-end tournament, according to Yahoo Sports.
Sabalenka entered the competition as the World No. 2, but her performance throughout the week resulted in a loss of that ranking.
She opened the tournament with a victory over Karolina Muchova before falling to Mirra Andreeva, per the Yahoo Sports report.
Despite holding a dominant 6-1 head-to-head record against Svitolina, Sabalenka could not secure the win required to advance to the semifinals.
Svitolina claimed the match with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory, effectively ending the Belarusian player’s campaign.
The result also facilitated a shift in the global rankings, as the 19-year-old Andreeva is set to overtake Sabalenka for the No. 2 position.
Andreeva has remained undefeated at the event, notably recording 6-0 set wins against both Svitolina and Sabalenka, as noted on social media.
Following the match, tennis fans on Reddit expressed frustration regarding Sabalenka’s recent form and the one-sided nature of the final set.
One individual questioned the current state of her coaching staff, stating, “Saba needs to sack her entire team and start again.”
Sabalenka, whose most recent title win occurred in Miami this past March, has struggled with consistency throughout the year.
She previously experienced a mental collapse during a Roland Garros quarterfinal match against Diana Shnaider after leading by a set and a break, as reported by the WTA.
The Belarusian athlete acknowledged the need to focus on her mental approach during the upcoming offseason.
The tournament has also faced controversy involving media conduct, with fans criticizing an unnamed broadcaster for making what they described as an awful comment about Sabalenka, according to College Sports Network.