WTA Finals 2023: When is it, draw, players, prize money, ranking points, where to watch and more
The 52nd edition of the WTA Finals will start on October 30 in Cancun, Mexico. The fans are in for some high-octane tennis action as eight competitors fight for the year-end championships.
Caroline Garcia won the tournament last year but was unable to qualify this time around. Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are the top two seeds this year and both are title contenders, as is Coco Gauff given her form since August.
The likes of Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova, and Maria Sakkari are all capable of challenging for the title too.
On that note, here is everything you need to know about the WTA Finals 2023.
What is the WTA Finals?
The WTA Finals is the season-ending tournament for the WTA tour. The inaugural edition of the competition took place in 1972, with Chris Evert winning it by defeating Kerry Melville 7-5, 6-4 in the final.
Martina Navratilova has won the tournament more times than any other player, triumphing on eight occasions. Other past champions include Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, and Maria Sharapova.
Venue
The Plaza Quintana Roo in Cancun is the venue for this year's edition of the WTA Finals.
Players
Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed at the WTA Finals and will be one of the top favorites to win. The Belarusian was the runner-up last year and has a fair chance of going all the way this time around.
Second seed Iga Swiatek looks in fine form too after winning the China Open, and she is another strong title contender in Cancun. The Pole lost in the semifinals last year and while the competition is stiff this time, she can win the year-end championships for the first time in her career if she maintains her level from China.
Another player who can be considered among the title favorites is US Open champion Coco Gauff. The American picked up a shoulder injury towards the end of the China Open, but after substantial rest, she should be raring to go.
Elena Rybakina has had an impressive season too so far, and is more than capable of challenging for the title. The likes of Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova, and Maria Sakkari are all formidable competitors as well.
Prize Money
The total prize pool at the year-end finals is $9,000,000. A player can win up to $3.07 million if she wins all of her matches.
Each woman will receive a participation fee of $198,000, and also $198,000 for each victory during the round-robin stage. An additional $54,000 will be given for qualifying for the semifinals.
A player will be paid an extra $756,000 for winning their semifinal, and the winner of the tournament will get another $1,476,000.
Ranking Points
A player can receive a maximum of 1250 ranking points if she wins every match at the year-end championships. 125 points will be awarded for every match played, while another 125 will be given for each victory in the round-robin stage.
A player will be awarded another 330 points if she wins her semifinal, and the winner of the tournament will receive an extra 420 points.
Channel and live streaming details for WTA Finals
Viewers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia can watch the action in Cancun live on the following channels and sites:
USA: American viewers can watch the tournament live on Tennis Channel.
UK: British fans can catch the live action of the WTA Finals on Amazon Prime Video.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch the tournament live on TSN.
Australia: Fans Down Under can catch all the action live on beIN SPORTS.