Venus's fashion return, Sabalenka's "floor is lava" win, Djokovic continues Athens dominance as Draper prep London return

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, ATP and WTA stars are already enjoying the end of the year, with some competing in year-end tournaments while others prepare for 2026. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka celebrated another victory at the WTA Finals after eliminating the defending champion Coco Gauff, who left a message of gratitude for fans on social media.

On the other hand, former World No. 1 Venus Williams reappeared at a fashion event, just days after confirming her first tournament for 2026. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic celebrated another victory at the Athens Hellenic Championships, while Jack Draper returned to social media while preparing for his return to the courts at an exhibition in a month.

Venus Williams recently reappeared at an Amazon Fashion event, where the former World No. 1 participated in several photos alongside the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The 7-time Grand Slam champion was recently confirmed to return to the courts in 2026—which will be her 33rd consecutive season disputing the WTA Tour. The American will play the ASB Classic at the start of the season, sparking rumors of her potential return to the Australian Open a couple of weeks later, a tournament where she reached the final twice, losing both times to her sister Serena Williams.

Jack Draper continues his preparation work for his return to the courts after an injury that sidelined him for practically the entire second half of the year. The Brit had climbed into the Top 5 mid-year, but the injury suffered at Wimbledon—where he lost in the second round to Marin Čilić—barely allowed him to compete. The 23-year-old was forced to end his season after the US Open due to a left arm injury. The 2025 Indian Wells champion underwent surgery and began preparation for his return to the courts, having lost his chance to qualify for the ATP Finals and falling sharply in the rankings, currently sitting at World No. 19.

Draper is preparing for his return, scheduled for the UTS Grand Final exhibition in London in December. However, his main goal is the 2026 season, and he recently added coach Jamie Delgado—former Andy Murray’s coach—as he seeks to regain his form at the start of the next season.

Aryna Sabalenka continues to smile in Riyadh after securing her third consecutive victory and advancing to the semi-finals as group leader. In the decisive match, Sabalenka still hadn't guaranteed qualification and was fighting for the group's top spot against defending champion Coco Gauff. The Belarusian played at a high level, hitting the accelerator at important moments to secure the straight-sets victory (7-6, 6-2) and book her place in the WTA Finals semi-finals for the fourth consecutive year. This will be Sabalenka's opportunity to seek the trophy that has eluded her, having lost the final in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023 and 2024.

The 4-time major champion remains the tournament favorite and awaits her duel against Amanda Anisimova for a place in the final. In the photos shared on social media by Sabalenka, she selected a series of pictures showing her jumping through the air during rallies or serves, in addition to the match point that secured her victory over Gauff and guaranteed the top spot in the group. Sabalenka has already secured finishing the year atop the rankings and will seek to extend her excellent form this Friday against Anisimova.

“The floor is lava challenge pt 2 🔥 @wtafinalsriyadh” posted Sabalenka, while her friend, former World No. 2 Paula Badosa, responded supporting the Belarusian's run: “You are lava 😍🔥💪 vamos!!!”

Coco Gauff wanted to find the positive after her elimination in the WTA Finals Round Robin, finishing third in her group. The World No. 3 will not be able to defend the title she won in 2024 and will lose a significant number of points, marking the end of her season with only one win in Riyadh (against Paolini) and two losses (against Pegula and Sabalenka).

The 2-time Grand Slam champion is now at risk of ending the season on the ranking podium and could lose her spot as American No. 1—if Amanda Anisimova manages to win the title in Riyadh. Gauff finished the season with a 48-16 record, earnings over $7.5 million, and two titles won at the French Open and Wuhan Open. “always an honor to be a part of and compete against the top 8 in the world, thank you riyadh 💜,” posted the 21-year-old player, who has four consecutive appearances at the WTA Finals.

Novak Djokovic took to social media to celebrate another victory at the Hellenic Championships, where he is the first seed and secured a semi-final spot this Thursday. The 24-time Grand Slam champion returned to the courts—after skipping the Paris Open—and has already defeated Alejandro Tabilo (7-6, 6-1) and 6th seed Nuno Borges (7-6, 6-4). The Serb will face Yannick Hanfmann in the semi-finals, a challenge that will not be easy, considering the results Nole has achieved in his previous semi-final appearances this year.

Out of the 7 semi-finals he reached—including all 4 Grand Slams—he only surpassed that round twice, winning the title in Geneva and reaching the final of the Miami Open. Djokovic is playing the tournament in Athens, where he has been practically a local, having recently relocated his residence to the Greek capital. The tournament itself, owned by the Djokovic family, also moved from Belgrade to Athens