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The last WTA 1000 of the season on the women's circuit, in the end, proved decisive in determining the eight players capable of qualifying for the WTA Finals in Cancun. The tournament which will see the best tennis players of 2023 take to the court will be played in Mexico from 29 October to 5 November.
Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur and Karolina Muchova will compete for the prestigious title.
Caroline Garcia, due to a season that did not live up to expectations, will not be able to defend the title she won in Fort Worth in 2022 by beating Sabalenka in the final.
The Belarusian, unlike Garcia, took the lead thanks to the incredible results achieved this year. The new WTA number one first won a Slam, winning the Australian Open. Some regrets in the other three Majors, at least considering the progress of the matches then lost.
Sabalenka stopped in the semifinals at both the Roland Garros and Wimbledon. In Paris she served for the match against Muchova. While in London she was ahead by a set and a break with Jabeur. Sabalenka then reached the final at the US Open; final deservedly won by Gauff.
WTA Finals 2023: all the qualifiers for the year-end Master!
Swiatek wants to improve on last year's semifinal and win the WTA Finals for the first time. The Pole lost the Tour throne to Sabalenka, but she still played an excellent season: enriched by the success achieved at the Roland Garros and a total of four titles.
Swiatek's progress at the Australian Open and US Open ended in the round of 16.
Brad Gilbert's impact on Gauff's mentality and play was devastating. The American summer of the 19-year-old from Atlanta turned out to be extraordinary.
Gauff has in fact collected, one after the other, the Washington tournament, the 1000 in Cincinnati, and the first Slam in Flushing Meadows. Results that will make her one of the favorites in Cancun.
Rybakina will have to be good at managing a precarious physical condition that has often limited her performances this year.
Pegula, for her part, will try to get through the group and confirm the steps forward made in recent months.
Vondrousova will have the chance to end the best season of her career on a high note. The Czech, against all odds, won Wimbledon by dominating the final with Jabeur.
The Tunisian wasted a great chance and allowed herself to be influenced by her pressure: her final goal could give her back a small part of everything that Wimbledon took from her.
Then Muchova, who has finally found continuity in the major circuit after numerous injuries.
The Czech player reached her first Slam final at hte Roland Garros and only Swiatek prevented her from triumphing on Parisian clay.