The Evolution and Records of WTA Finals: A Showpiece Event in Women's Tennis
The WTA Finals: A glorious celebration of women's tennis for over 50 years, pitting the world's best players against each other annually
For more than 50 years, the WTA Finals have been a remarkable showcase of women's tennis, bringing together the finest players from around the globe. This prestigious tournament marks the culmination of the season, where the top eight singles players and doubles pairings fiercely compete to claim the title of ultimate champions.
The tournament has come a long way from its humble beginnings to where it now stands as a lucrative showpiece event.
Long history
The inaugural edition of the tournament, known as the Virginia Slims Championships, occurred in 1972, a year prior to the establishment of the WTA. Despite the timing, the organization recognizes it as their inaugural event. Taking place in Boca Raton, Florida, the first championship was triumphed by 17-year-old Chris Evert, who would subsequently become one of the most accomplished female players of all time. Following her initial victory, the American went on to secure an additional three WTA Finals titles.
The birth of the tournament coincided with a significant period in women's tennis history. Billie Jean King, one of the sport's most influential figures, was not only dominating on the court but also advocating for improved conditions in women's tennis.
In 1973, King established the WTA, a new tour that unified all women's professional tennis players, following a meeting with over 60 other players. In that very same year, King achieved a momentous victory by defeating self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in the renowned "Battle of the Sexes" match.
Chris Evert won the first end-of-season championship in 1972 at the age of 17.
Mark Foley/AP
With womens tennis entering a new, more prosperous era, the WTA Finals returned for a second year. Evert, once again, took the crown.
After identifying a market and aiming to enhance the visibility of women's sports, the championships relocated to Los Angeles the following year. They later ventured to New York's Madison Square Garden in 1977, then to Oakland in 1978, before ultimately returning to New York City for a continuous 20-year presence, gradually evolving into a more refined spectacle of the 21st century.
In the new millennium, the Finals embarked on a global excursion, hosting the event in Spain, Turkey, and Singapore. This year's tournament is currently taking place in Cancun, Mexico.
Over the years, while the concept has largely remained unchanged, there have been notable differences. In contrast to the present, the initial two editions of the competition took place on clay. From 1974 to 2000, the matches transitioned to indoor carpet, and later shifted to indoor hard courts in 2001, except for the years 2008-2010 and 2021, when the tournament was held on outdoor hard courts.
Serena Williams won the trophy five times during her glittering career.
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The prize money has significantly increased since the early years. Evert received $25,000 for winning the 1972 edition, while an undefeated player in this year's singles tournament could potentially earn over $3 million from the $9 million prize pool. Additionally, the format of the event has undergone various changes throughout the past 51 editions.
In the period of 1984-98, the singles final consisted of a best-of-five set match. Among those matches, three of them were extended to their full length. Notably, the longest match in the tournament's history was Monica Seles' victory over Gabriela Sabatini in 1990, lasting an impressive three hours and 29 minutes.
Currently, all matches are played in a best-of-three-sets format, with the eight players or pairs divided into two round-robin groups. The top two players from each group then advance to the semifinals, where they compete for a spot in the final showdown.
2023 roster
This years edition will be the second time Mexico has played host to the Finals - Guadalajara was the venue for the 2021 championship.
Caroline Garcia, the reigning champion, will not be able to defend her title as she was unable to accumulate sufficient ranking points to qualify. Consequently, a completely new winner will emerge for the trophy since none of the eight qualified players have previously won the competition.
Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No. 1, will be joined on the field by Wimbledon champion Markéta VondrouÅ¡ová, US Open champion Coco Gauff, French Open champion Iga ÅwiÄ tek, Elena Rybakina, and US star Jessica Pegula. Unfortunately, Czech Republic's KarolÃna Muchová had to withdraw from the competition due to injury and has been replaced by Maria Sakkari from Greece.
Aryna Sabalenka heads into the 2023 tournament as the world No. 1.
Gauff and Pegula, the top-ranked doubles team in the world, have their sights set on claiming the singles title as well as the doubles trophy in Mexico.
Records
All eight women will take to the court hoping to emulate some of the tournaments previous champions, many of which are now household names and icons of the sport.
Martina Navratilova currently retains the highest number of singles titles at the event, securing her eighth and final championship in 1986. Following closely behind her, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf have both attained five titles, showcasing their dominance during their respective eras.
Many famous tennis players, including Margaret Court, Virginia Wade, and Billie Jean King, never won the singles title, despite their iconic status. Even though the trophy bears King's name, she never claimed the singles title either. However, all three women achieved success by winning the doubles tournament at least once. The upcoming WTA Finals are scheduled to commence on October 29 and conclude with the final match on November 5.
