WTA Finals alternate situation explained as two players remain on standby in Riyadh with one withdrawal already

Thursday, 07 November 2024 at 15:07

The WTA Finals takes place between November 2-8 in the Kingdom of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia with the top eight names in the world competing for the title. But with some doubts about certain players, could some alternates jump into the void?

It is certainly a possibility and at least two are seemingly confirmed with another deciding against taking her spot on standby. That being Emma Navarro who has now withdrawn after sitting eighth in the race.

The 23-year-old who has had the best season of her career thus far after ascending from playing ITF 125k and WTA smaller level tournaments tailed off after reaching the semi-finals at the US Open.

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She was poor on the Asian hard court swing and Qinwen Zheng in going back home to China in particular excelled in front of her home fans and has lost only four matches since Wimbledon. She took the final spot alongside Barbora Krejcikova. But Navarro who has recently suffered with illness has decided not to travel at all.

Even though Elena Rybakina in particular despite seeming to be in good spirits and well again is of course always a doubt due to recent illness and injury issues. So she would've been first to step in. Now it will be Daria Kasatkina who won Ningbo and reached the final in Seoul who could step up. Then it is Danielle Collins who will then lead Team USA in Malaga after the WTA Finals. She initially was set to play her final tournament in Spain but will carry on until 2025 at least.

Collins though is recently injured and hasn't played for a while. Paula Badosa would likely be next in line if this was the case and perhaps will have been called already. Anna Kalinskaya too would be called up. In the past both alternates have been needed so it is a warranted part of the tournament that is important.

It is $225,000 merely for being an alternate so free money to sit on the sidelines in case of a withdrawal hence the clamour to even fly to Riyadh.

Emma Navarro, who lost her opportunity to go to the WTA Finals when Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova was awarded the 8th spot, has decided not to go to Riyadh as an alternate. Official reason, per her agent, is that she hasn’t fully recovered from a recent virus.
— cindy shmerler (@shmerlsc) October 29, 2024

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

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