Sabalenka Tops Bertens For Zhuhai Title

For the WTA players who fell short of qualifying for the Finals in Shenzhen, there was the Elite Trophy event in Zhuhai, China, which went to Aryna Sabalenka who beat Kiki Bertens 6-4, 6-2 in the title match.

Sabalenka now has five career titles with the last four coming in China!

“For the next season I would like to win somewhere else instead of China,” she joked in her post-match press conference. “But also I would like to keep winning in China. But I’m just really happy with this title and with the finish of my singles season, it’s really impressive.”

The 12-player field was divided up into round robin format with four groups of three. Sabalenka finished 4-0 dropping just one set to Mertens in the round robin. She beat Karolina Muchova in the semifinals.

Sabalenka will team with Mertens in the doubles finals this week.

“Next is Shenzhen, right?” Sabalenka said. “The expectation is just to do everything I can and to show our best level of tennis with Elise and just to do our best, that’s the expectation.”