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Elena Rybakina wrapped up her year on a high, beating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the showpiece match to win the WTA Finals 2025. It marked her first big title since her triumph at the Italian Open 2023. While she is being appreciated by everyone for her success, former tennis pro Svetlana Kuznetsova also expressed her frustration at Rybakina's decision to switch nationalities in a congratulatory post.
Rybakina was born in Moscow, Russia, and represented her birth country until 2018. However, halfway through the 2018 season, she acquired Kazakhstani citizenship as the country's tennis federation offered her more financial support compared to the Russian Tennis Federation.
Rybakina has since accomplished a lot while representing Kazakhstan, starting with her victory at Wimbledon 2022. This weighed heavily on Kuznetsova's mind while congratulating the 26-year-old on her success at the WTA Finals. In a social media post, the former pro stated that it is quite "offensive" for her Russian fans to see her competing under another flag.
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"I sincerely congratulate Elena Rybakina on the well-deserved triumph! Her path to this victory was particularly difficult. Let me remind you how much criticism and pressure she had to face because of stories with the coach. But she continued to fight for what she thought was right, no matter what. I admit it's particularly painful to see such an athlete competing under another flag. It is deeply offensive to all her Russian fans," Kuznetsova said.
Kuznetsova is known to be quite the nationalist, so this particular stance from her isn't surprising. She previously disagreed with Petra Kvitova's stance on the participation of Russian athletes in the Paris Olympics 2024 in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Rybakina, on the other hand, will now aim to enjoy the fruits of her labor. She can certainly afford to loosen her purse strings after her record-breaking payday at the WTA Finals 2025.
Elena Rybakina received the biggest paycheck in women's tennis for winning the WTA Finals 2025
Elena Rybakina's victory at the WTA Finals 2025 rewarded her with a whopping $5.2 million in prize money. It marked the biggest payday at a single event in the history of women's tennis, a record that was held by the player she beat in the final, Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka made $5 million thanks to her victory at this year's US Open. She could've surpassed her own record but Rybakina had other plans, overpowering the World No. 1 in the final.
Rybakina's record-setting paycheck put her third on the list of this year's top earners on the WTA Tour. She earned a total of $8.4 million, trailing only Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka, who made $10 million and $15 million respectively.
