WTA Finals

The championships were held for the first time in October 1972 in Boca Raton, Florida (USA) as a climactic event at the end of a series of tournaments sponsored by Virginia Slims, called the Virginia Slims Circuit.^[4] From 1972 to 1974, the event was held in October, before switching to March from 1975 until 1986. The WTA then decided to adopt a January–November playing season, and so the event was switched to being held at the end of each year. As a consequence, there were two championships held in 1986.

The event was held in Los Angeles, California from 1974 to 1976 before moving to Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1977. With the exception of a one-year move to Oakland, California in 1978, the Championships remained at MSG until 2000. The event then briefly moved to Munich, Germany in 2001. More recently, it moved back to Los Angeles from 2002 to 2005. The 2006 and 2007 editions were held in Madrid, Spain. Doha, Qatar hosted the 2008–2010 editions before passing the flag to Istanbul, Turkey, which hosted the 2011–2013 editions.^[5] For the right to host the 2014 edition and beyond, 43 cities expressed an interest before a short list comprising Kazan, Russia; Mexico City, Mexico; Singapore; and Tianjin, China was drawn up in late 2012.^[6] Kazan and Mexico City were ruled out in early 2013^[7] before Singapore was announced in May 2013 as the new host city for five years.^[8][9] In 2018, the WTA announced the host city from 2019 to 2028 would be Shenzhen, China,^[10] however due to COVID-19 and later the disappearance of Peng Shuai, the tournament was cancelled in 2020 and had to find alternative hosting sites from 2020–2023.^[11][12] In April 2024, the WTA announced that the host city from 2024–2026 would be Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.^[13]

From 1984 to 1998, the final of the championships was a best-of-five-sets match, making it the only tournament on the women's tour to have had a best-of-five match at any round of the competition.^[14] It was the first time since the 1901 U.S. National Championships that the best-of-five format was used in women's matches.^[15] In 1999, the final reverted to being a best-of-three-sets match. From the 1974 until the 1982 edition the doubles draw consisted of four teams; then from 1983 to 2002 the draw increased to eight teams; was decreased back to four teams until 2013 and from the 2014 edition onward it has been made up of eight teams. From its first inception in 1973 until 2018 the doubles draw was played in a single elimination format. In 2015 and from 2019 until the present the doubles draw has been played in a round robin format.^[9]

Qualified players and teams participate in a round-robin format in two groups of four. The winners and runners-up of each group advance to the semifinals. The semifinal winners progress through to the finals where they compete for the title.

To qualify for the WTA Finals, players compete throughout the year in WTA events throughout the world, as well as the ITF-sanctioned events, such as the four Grand Slams. Players earn ranking points on the leaderboard, and the top seven singles players and top seven doubles teams on this leaderboard at the conclusion of the WTA season (as of the Monday following the final regular season tournament) earn the right to compete in the WTA Finals. The eighth spot in the WTA Finals is awarded to the highest-ranking Grand Slam winner (and highest-ranking Grand Slam winning team for doubles) ranked 8-20 in the standings. If no player (and/or doubles team) meets this criterion, then the 8th ranked player (and/or doubles team) in the standings qualifies.^[16]

In singles, point totals are calculated by combining points from up to 18 tournaments. Of these tournaments, a player's point total is calculated based on the following: the four Grand Slam events, best six results of the seven combined WTA 1000 tournaments, best result of the three non-combined WTA 1000 tournaments, and lastly the next best seven results from all non-125 WTA tournaments. In doubles, point totals are calculated by the 12 best results among any of the non-125 WTA tournaments and Grand Slams.^[17]

The total prize money for the 2024 WTA Finals is US$15,250,000, an increase of 69.44% compared to the 2023 edition.^[18] The tables below break down the prize money, participation fees are prorated on a per match basis.

• An undefeated champion would earn the maximum 1,500 points and $3,885,000 in singles or $870,000 in doubles.
• Participation fees are prorated on a per match basis. Singles: 1 match = $225,000 2 matches = $275,000 and 3 matches = $335,000. Doubles: 1 match = $94,000 2 matches = $116,000 and 3 matches = $140,000.
• Alternate fees are also prorated on a per-match basis. Singles: 0 matches = $140,000, 1 match = $200,000, 2 matches = $250,000. Doubles: 0 matches= $60,000, 1 match = $84,000, 2 matches= $106,000

Since 2014, the singles and doubles winners of the tournament receive the Billie Jean King Trophy^[19][20] and the Martina Navratilova trophy,^[21][22] respectively.

• Current through 2024 WTA Finals (active players in bold).

Singles edit Titles Player Years 8   Martina Navratilova 1978–79, 81, 83–86(Nov.)[a][b] 5   Steffi Graf 1987, 89, 93, 95–96   Serena Williams 2001, 09, 12–14 4   Chris Evert 1972–73, 75, 77 3  /  Monica Seles 1990–92   Kim Clijsters 2002–03, 10 2   Evonne Goolagong Cawley 1974, 76   Gabriela Sabatini 1988, 94   Martina Hingis 1998, 2000   Justine Henin 2006–07 1   Tracy Austin 1980   Sylvia Hanika 1982   Jana Novotná 1997   Lindsay Davenport 1999   Maria Sharapova 2004   Amélie Mauresmo 2005   Venus Williams 2008   Petra Kvitová 2011   Agnieszka Radwańska 2015   Dominika Cibulková 2016   Caroline Wozniacki 2017   Elina Svitolina 2018   Ashleigh Barty 2019   Garbiñe Muguruza 2021   Caroline Garcia 2022   Iga Świątek 2023   Coco Gauff 2024

Doubles edit Titles Player Years 13   Martina Navratilova 1977–78, 80–86(Nov.),[b] 87–89, 91 10   Pam Shriver 1981–86(Nov.),[b] 87–89, 91 4   Billie Jean King 1974, 76, 78, 80   Lisa Raymond 2001, 05–06, 11 3   Betty Stöve 1976–77, 79  /  Natasha Zvereva 1993–94, 98   Lindsay Davenport 1996–98   Liezel Huber 2007–08, 11   Cara Black 2007–08, 14   Martina Hingis 1999–00, 2015   Tímea Babos 2017–19 2   Rosemary Casals 1973–74   Margaret Court 1973, 75   Gigi Fernández 1993–94   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 1992, 95   Jana Novotná 1995, 97   Anna Kournikova 1999–00   Samantha Stosur 2005–06   Nadia Petrova 2004, 12   Sania Mirza 2014–15   Kristina Mladenovic 2018–19 1   Virginia Wade 1975   Françoise Dürr 1979   Wendy Turnbull   Hana Mandlíková 1986(Mar.)[a]   Kathy Jordan   Elizabeth Smylie 1990   Helena Suková 1992   Mary Joe Fernández 1996   Rennae Stubbs 2001   Elena Dementieva   Janette Husárová 2002   Virginia Ruano Pascual   Paola Suárez 2003   Meghann Shaughnessy 2004   Nuria Llagostera Vives   María José Martínez Sánchez 2009   Gisela Dulko   Flavia Pennetta 2010   Maria Kirilenko 2012   Hsieh Su-wei   Peng Shuai 2013   Ekaterina Makarova   Elena Vesnina 2016   Andrea Hlaváčková 2017   Barbora Krejčiková   Kateřina Siniaková 2021   Veronika Kudermetova [c]   Elise Mertens 2022   Laura Siegemund   Vera Zvonareva [c] 2023   Gabriela Dabrowski   Erin Routliffe 2024

Note: Active players indicated in bold.

# Titles 8   Martina Navratilova 5   Steffi Graf   Serena Williams 4   Chris Evert 3  /  Monica Seles   Kim Clijsters

# Finals 14  /  Martina Navratilova 8   Chris Evert 7   Serena Williams 6   Steffi Graf 4   Gabriela Sabatini  / /  Monica Seles   Martina Hingis   Lindsay Davenport

# Matches won 60  /  Martina Navratilova 34   Chris Evert 31   Steffi Graf 29   Serena Williams 21   Gabriela Sabatini

# Editions played 21  /  Martina Navratilova 13   Chris Evert   Steffi Graf   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 12   Zina Garrison   Conchita Martínez

Singles[27]	Youngest	Monica Seles	16 years, 11 months	1990
	Oldest	Serena Williams	33 years, 1 month	2014
Doubles	Youngest	Anna Kournikova	18 years, 5 months	1999
	Oldest	Vera Zvonareva [a]	39 years, 1 month	2023

Best-of-five-sets system:

Longest match by time played
1990 final, 3 hours and 47 minutes[29][30]
Monica Seles	6	5	3	6	6
Gabriela Sabatini	4	7	6	4	2

Best-of-three-sets system:

Longest match by time played[31] 2012 round robin, 3 hours and 29 minutes   Agnieszka Radwańska 66 7 6   Sara Errani 78 5 4 Longest match by games won[31] 2017 round robin, 37 games   Venus Williams 7 63 7   Jeļena Ostapenko 5 77 5

Shortest match by games won 2007 round robin, 12 games   Justine Henin 6 6   Marion Bartoli 0 0

Longest match by games won 1985 final, 36 games   Martina Navratilova   Pam Shriver 64 6 77   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch   Helena Suková 77 4 65

Shortest match by games won 2014 final, 13 games   Cara Black   Sania Mirza 6 6   Hsieh Su-wei   Peng Shuai 1 0

Winning three or two out of the four Year-ending championships since its inception in 1972: WTA Championships/Finals, Series-Ending Championships, Grand Slam Cup, WTA Tournament of Champions/Elite Trophy indicated in bold.

Winning the Year-end championships in both singles and doubles in the same year.

No.	Player	Years won
5	Martina Navratilova	1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986(Nov)[a]
1	Jana Novotná	1997
	Martina Hingis	2000

No.	Player	WTA Championships/Finals	Grand Slam Cup	WTA Elite Trophy
1	Venus Williams	2008	1998	2015

No.	Player	WTA Championships/Finals	Series-Ending Championships
1	Chris Evert	1972	1977
2	Martina Navratilova	1978	1979
3	Tracy Austin	1980	1980

No.	Player	WTA Championships/Finals	Grand Slam Cup
1	Serena Williams	2001	1999
2	Venus Williams [a]	2008	1998

No.	Player	WTA Championships/Finals	WTA Elite Trophy
1	Venus Williams [a]	2008	2015
2	Petra Kvitová	2011	2016
3	Ashleigh Barty	2019	2018

No.	Player	Grand Slam Cup	WTA Elite Trophy
1	Venus Williams [a]	1998	2015

21	United States (7 players)

6	West Germany / Germany (2 players)

5	Belgium (2 players)

3	Australia (2 players),   Yugoslavia /   Yugoslavia (1 player)

2	Argentina (1 player),   Czech Republic (2 players),   France (2 players),   Poland (2 players),    Switzerland (1 player)

1	Denmark,   Russia,   Slovakia,   Spain,   Ukraine

Note: Titles, won by a team of players from same country, count as one title, not two.

29	United States (11 players)

7	Australia (5 players)

6	Czechoslovakia / Czech Republic (6 players),   Russia (6 players)[a]

4	Spain (4 players)

3	Belarus (1 player),   France (2 players),   Hungary (1 player),   Netherlands (1 player),    Switzerland (1 player),   Zimbabwe (1 player)

2	Argentina (2 players),   India (1 player)

1	Belgium,   Canada,   China,   Chinese Taipei,   Germany,   Great Britain,   Italy,   New Zealand,   Slovakia

Note

The event has a more than 40-year history of corporate sponsorship with the finals named after the sponsoring company.^[4]

• Toyota Championships
• WTA Finals appearances
• WTA Elite Trophy
• ATP Finals

• Official website