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WTA Finals 2026: Draw, format and schedule as world No. 1 Elena Rybakina bids to defend title

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina will try to retain her WTA Finals crown as the season‑ending tournament kicks off on Nov.

8 in the Coachella Valley. The event follows a brief pause in Riyadh and a stop‑over in Indian Wells before moving to a three‑year stint in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The eight qualified singles competitors are split into two round‑robin groups, with the top two from each advancing to the semifinals and then the final.

Rybakina leads Group 1 alongside Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Linda Nosková, while Group 2 features Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina and Karolína Muchová. The schedule includes six days of round‑robin play, semifinals on Nov.

14 and the championship match on Nov. 15, with singles matches beginning each day at 12 p.m.

PT.

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