Aryna Sabalenka Beats Karolina Muchova to Make Winning Start at WTA Finals

Posted : 10 November 2026

Aryna Sabalenka began her 2026 WTA Finals campaign with a hard-fought straight-sets victory over Karolina Muchova in Indian Wells on Monday.

The Belarusian second seed secured a 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 win after a competitive encounter lasting one hour and 53 minutes. The result moves her closer to securing a maiden WTA Finals title after finishing runner-up in 2022 and 2025.

Sabalenka had to show considerable resilience in the opening set, with Muchova twice moving ahead through breaks of serve. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion responded immediately on both occasions to keep the contest level.

Muchova had another opportunity to take control when she served at 5-4, but Sabalenka broke back to force a tie-break. The world-class power hitter then dominated the tie-break, dropping just two points to claim the first set.

The second set followed a similarly unpredictable pattern, with both players struggling to hold their service games. Sabalenka appeared close to victory when she moved ahead 5-4, but Muchova broke back to level the score at 5-5.

The Czech player could not maintain that momentum, however, as Sabalenka produced an important break in the following game before holding serve to complete the victory.

Speaking after the match, Sabalenka said she was pleased to begin the tournament with a win, explaining that she concentrated on remaining composed and focused throughout the contest.

In the other Group Two encounter, 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva made an impressive start to her WTA Finals debut by defeating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-0.

The reigning French Open champion initially faced a competitive challenge from Svitolina but took control after breaking for a 4-2 advantage in the opening set. She subsequently maintained her lead before producing a dominant performance in the second set.

Andreeva won the final seven games of the match, completing the victory in 70 minutes. Despite admitting that nerves affected her movement and confidence early on, the Russian teenager was delighted to progress without dropping a set.

Andreeva will now face Sabalenka in their second round-robin match on Wednesday, setting up an important meeting between the two Group Two winners.

The 2026 WTA Finals were initially scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia but were relocated to Indian Wells in July amid security concerns linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The tournament runs from November 8 to 15, with the world's leading players competing for the season-ending championship.

Aryna Sabalenka Beats Karolina Muchova to Make Winning Start at WTA Finals

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