Aryna Sabalenka storms past Jasmine Paolini in milestone 500th match

Aryna Sabalenka isn’t wasting time.

With her grip on the WTA Year-End No. 1 ranking already locked in before she even hit a ball in Riyadh, the Belarusian came into the WTA Finals with the rare freedom to focus on one thing only: finally capturing the title that’s eluded her at this stage.

And if Sunday’s opener was any indication, she’s ready to go all the way.

Sabalenka steamrolled Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-1 in just 70 minutes at King Saud University’s Indoor Arena, kicking off her campaign in the Stefanie Graf Group with clinical efficiency. The victory not only gave her an early lead in round-robin play — it also marked her 500th career match on the WTA Tour.

“It feels super special,” Sabalenka said afterward, reflecting on her latest milestone. “I’m super happy and proud of the work we’ve put in. Things are clicking, and I feel like I’m getting better every day.”

That steady improvement has translated into some serious numbers. With Sunday’s win, Sabalenka secured her 60th match victory of the season — the first time she’s hit that mark in a single year.

Alongside Iga Swiatek, who has 62 wins, they’ve become the first duo to cross the 60-win threshold in a calendar year since Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013.

But beyond the stats, it was Sabalenka’s laser-sharp focus and command of the match that really told the story. From the moment she stepped onto the court, she looked locked in — calm, poised, and clearly in control.

“We’ve played a lot, and it’s always a tough battle,” Sabalenka said of Paolini. “Even if the score doesn’t show it, I know she’s the kind of player who takes every opportunity if you give her an inch. That’s why I’m most pleased with my focus today.”

She wasn’t exaggerating. After holding serve to start the match, Sabalenka immediately broke Paolini with a wicked crosscourt backhand that set the tone for the rest of the encounter.

That shot — and her backhand in general — became a recurring problem for Paolini, who had no answers as Sabalenka ripped 24 winners, many of them off that wing.

Paolini briefly threatened with a break of her own midway through the first set, narrowing the gap to 4-3. But Sabalenka responded with another gear, breaking back instantly and then closing out the set with four consecutive aces — wiping away a 0-30 deficit with ice in her veins.

She would finish with 11 aces and, more impressively, zero double faults — a notable stat for a player whose high-risk game has sometimes brought volatility with the serve.

But on Sunday, it was all about precision. Sabalenka mixed her placements beautifully, using the wide serve to save break points and constantly pushing Paolini out of position.

By the time the second set rolled around, Sabalenka was cruising. She broke early, held firm on serve, and then broke again — this time snatching a game from 0-40 down with a flurry of aggressive returns and a finishing forehand.

That final game, where she reeled off five straight points, summed up the match: Sabalenka was simply dictating every exchange.

This win also extended her head-to-head dominance over Paolini. Sabalenka has now won five straight against the Italian, taking 10 consecutive sets in the process. Their last close contest came at Indian Wells in 2022, where Paolini notched her lone win over the world No. 1.

Not that Sabalenka is counting.

“I don’t really treat this like a round-robin,” she said. “For me, it’s a regular tournament. I need to win five matches to win the title — that’s how I’m approaching it. Every match, I go out there like it could be my last. I’m bringing my best and fighting for every point.”

Sabalenka has made the semifinals in the last two WTA Finals but fell to the eventual champions each time — Swiatek in 2023 and Coco Gauff in 2024. With the title still missing from her otherwise stellar résumé, she knows what’s at stake.

Up next, she’ll face the winner of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. If she keeps serving like this and hitting her backhand with the same venom, it’s hard to see anyone stopping her.

“I feel calm,” she said. “I feel in control. That’s the most important thing.”

And after 500 matches, Sabalenka knows exactly what that means.