Sabalenka reigns again as WTA Player of the Year in dominant 2025
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts playing with U.S.' Tommy Paul against Japan's Naomi Osaka and Australia's Nick Kyrgios in a mixed doubles match during the Garden Cup at Madison Square Garden, New York City, U.S., Dec. 8, 2025. (AFP Photo)


World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was named WTA Player of the Year for a second straight season on Monday, capping a year she spent firmly entrenched at the top of the women’s rankings, the WTA announced.

The Belarusian powered through a dominant 2025, successfully defending her U.S. Open crown, leading the tour in both match wins and titles, and reaching nine finals.

She finished runner-up at the Australian Open and Roland Garros and advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals.

Sabalenka lifted four trophies overall and piled up 63 victories across the season.

She also closed the year as the world No. 1 for a second consecutive time and set a WTA single-season prize money record of $15,008,519.

Amanda Anisimova was voted the Most Improved Player, having also been nominated for Player of the Year.

The American reached five finals, winning the first WTA 1000 titles of her career in Doha and Beijing, and advanced to her first Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Anisimova broke into the top 10 in July and qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time in her career, ending the year ranked fourth in the world.

Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend were named Doubles Team of the Year after claiming a second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, while they also reached the U.S. Open final.

Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic received the Comeback Player of the Year award after becoming a mother in April 2024 and producing a strong run of results, highlighted by a victory over world number five Elena Rybakina to win the Abu Dhabi Open.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko was named Newcomer of the Season after surging to a career-high world ranking of 18, capped by her maiden WTA 1000 title on home soil in Montreal.