Aryna Sabalenka breaks WTA record for prize money earned in a season

Aryna Sabalenka's heartbreaking ending to her season at the 2025 WTA Finals did not stop her from finishing the year with a prize money record.

Sabalenka finished as the runner-up in Riyadh to Elena Rybakina. The world No. 1's overall tiebreak in the 2025 season is incredible, but she unexpectedly lost the second set tiebreaker 0-7, falling 3-6, 6-7.

Being defeated in close finals was a recurring theme for Sabalenka in 2025. She lost the Australian Open and French Open finals to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff in deciding sets, and generated controversy with her comments about Gauff after that final.

Sabalenka also finished as the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and Indian Wells Open runner-up. However, she matched those disappointments with significant highs, most notably retaining her US Open title.

Other title runs occurred at the Miami Open, Madrid Open, and the Brisbane International. Her continued excellence in winning and reaching the finals of tournaments created significant financial awards.

Sabalenka accumulated an exceptional $15,008,519. That included $2.695 million for finishing as the runner-up to Rybakina, who received over $5 million as the title winner, at the WTA Finals. Holding the event in Saudi Arabia brought those financial rewards.

The Belarusian player's total prize money for 2025 is the highest in WTA history. That record was held by Serena Williams, with $12,385,572 for her memorable 2013 season, when she registered a 78-4 win-loss record.

Sabalenka was helped by the WTA's prize money amount increasing since Williams's 2013 season. The rise at the WTA Finals is the most dramatic, but there have also been improvements at Grand Slams, Masters 1000, and WTA 500 tournaments.

Nonetheless, Sabalenka breaking the record should not be dismissed. It shows how consistent she was throughout the year, culminating in her finishing as the year-end world No. 1 for the second consecutive season.

Sabalenka would have set an incredibly challenging prize money record to beat had she won the Australian Open, French Open, and WTA Finals. That is why, despite her great results, 2025 was still a missed opportunity.

A few weeks ago, Iga Swiatek overtook Venus Williams at No. 2 on the all-time prize money list. Although WTA prize money amounts are at an all-time high, the Pole achieving that at the age of 24 was exceptional.

Swiatek moved back to No. 3 after the WTA Finals, being replaced by Aryna Sabalenka. The four-time Grand Slam champion's $2.695 million prize money reward for being the runner-up at the year-end championships was enough to move ahead of Swiatek.

Sabalenka's career prize money earnings are $45,175,621, more than Swiatek's $43,640,490. Venus Williams is at No. 4, and Simona Halep, who recently discussed whether she could become a coach, is at No. 5.

23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams remains far ahead of anyone else with $94,816,730. Sabalenka, Swiatek, and 21-year-old Coco Gauff, who is No. 11 on $29,759,121, could overtake Williams in the future since they have many years ahead of them.