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RIYADH: The lineup for the semi-finals of the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh was decided on Thursday during a thrilling finale to the group stage in which world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka eliminated defending champion Coco Gauff.

There was everything to play for ahead of the third and final round of matches in the Stefanie Graf Group at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, with three of the four players still in contention for a place in the last four.

Fifth seed Jessica Pegula gave herself the best possible chance of advancing by sealing a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory over eighth seed Jasmine Paolini. However, the American’s progression still hinged on the outcome of a blockbuster showdown between top seed Sabalenka and third seed Gauff.

Various permutations were in play regarding which two of the three would qualify, but Gauff knew that anything short of a victory would mean elimination and the end of her title defense.

In the clash of two of the biggest superstars in tennis, Gauff claimed an early lead, but in the end it would be a dramatic tiebreak that decided the opening set, with Sabalenka edging it to put herself on the brink of the semi-finals. She then claimed the second set by a more comfortable 6-2 margin to seal the victory.

Sabalenka, 27, said she was “super happy to get this win in straight sets. I’m staying hungry and staying aggressive in the game. Sometimes I need to throw emotions out just to be able to compete, and I think I’m balancing it pretty well.”

She will now face fellow American, and fourth seed, Amanda Anisimova on Friday. The pair have already faced each other in three huge matches this year, not least their most recent clash in the final of the US Open in September, which Sabalenka won 6-3, 7-6. However, Anisimova leads their career head-to-head record with six wins to Sabalenka’s four.

Gauff made history last year when she won the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, the first ever professional women’s tennis tournament staged in Saudi Arabia. Just 20 years old at the time, she was also the youngest winner in two decades.

After her loss to Sabalenka on Thursday she said: “I had a lot of chances in the first set. It was a bit disappointing not to get that one. She stepped her level up and I just couldn’t find it after that.

“Overall, I think I was playing a high level. Couple points in the tiebreaker, I had on my racket. It was a tough one.”

In the other semi-final, also on Friday, Pegula will face sixth seed Elena Rybakina.