Aryna Sabalenka saw her 2026 season conclude in disappointment after falling to Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals.
The former world No. 1 lost the final six games of the match, resulting in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 defeat, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
This loss marks the first time Sabalenka has exited the tournament at the group stage since 2021.
Svitolina, appearing in her first WTA Finals since 2019, secured her first victory against Sabalenka in six years.
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of the contest, Svitolina told Sky Sports, “It was a little bit of a roller coaster.”
The Ukrainian player will now face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Sabalenka struggled throughout the tournament, having suffered a crushing defeat to Mirra Andreeva just two days prior.
Her season was defined by a lack of grand slam titles, including losses in the Australian Open and US Open finals to Elena Rybakina.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Andreeva continued her dominant form by dispatching Diana Shnaider.
Shnaider had entered the match as a late replacement for Karolina Muchova, who withdrew due to illness.
Andreeva, the reigning French Open champion, has yet to drop a set in the competition.
At 19 years and 193 days old, she has become the youngest player in the history of the event to win all three of her round-robin matches.
This achievement surpasses the previous record established by Serena Williams in 2000, according to reporting from the PA news agency.
Andreeva is now set to compete against Jessica Pegula in her upcoming semi-final appearance.
Svitolina expressed optimism regarding her path forward, noting that she had no regrets about her performance in the group stage.
She told reporters, “I’m in the semi-final and that’s amazing for me.”
The tournament continues as the remaining contenders vie for the title following Sabalenka’s exit.