In a thrilling lead-up to the WTA Finals, the doubles team of Timea Babos from Hungary and Luisa Stefani from Brazil are poised to compete for the championship. As the seventh seeds, this marks their debut appearance together, yet they have shown remarkable synergy. Their final opponent will be the formidable duo of Veronika Kudermetova from Russia and Elise Mertens from Belgium, who secured their spot with a superb performance in their semi-final match.
On Friday, Babos and Stefani faced off against the experienced pairing of Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko, the sixth seeds. Despite initially falling behind by a break in both sets, Babos and Stefani showcased their resilience, clinching the match with scores of 6-4, 7-6(5). The duo’s ability to remain composed under pressure was evident, as they fought back from preliminary deficits to secure their spot in the final.
Stefani, who is participating in her first WTA Finals, has made history as the first Brazilian to reach this stage of the tournament. In contrast, Babos, a seasoned competitor and three-time WTA Finals champion, is making her fourth final appearance with a different partner. Babos previously triumphed in 2017 with Andrea Sestini Hlavackova, and again in 2018 and 2019 with Kristina Mladenovic.
After their semi-final victory, Babos expressed her pride and confidence. “I never lost in a semi-final of the WTA Finals before, so I’m just keeping that,” she said. The partnership has proven fruitful, marking their fifth final in the 2025 season and their first beyond the WTA 500 level.
The second semi-final witnessed a compelling contest between Kudermetova and Mertens against Katerina Siniakova from Czechia and Taylor Townsend from the USA, who were seeded second. Kudermetova and Mertens prevailed in a tense match that extended into the late hours. They came from behind to claim victory, saving a crucial match point in the second-set tiebreak, and ultimately winning the match tiebreak 10-6.
Elise Mertens acknowledged the effort that went into their victory, stating, “We had to dig really deep against two incredible players.” Kudermetova’s performance was instrumental in the task, as she delivered crucial points when it mattered most, particularly in the tiebreaks.
This final match promises to be intense, as it features a rematch of an earlier encounter this season, where Kudermetova and Mertens defeated Babos and Stefani in Rome in straight sets. The stakes are high, with both pairs seeking their respective titles—Kudermetova and Mertens aim to capture their second WTA Finals title, while Stefani is on the hunt for her inaugural championship.
Financially, the champions will walk away with a substantial prize of $1.06 million. Both teams have demonstrated resilience and talent throughout the tournament, making for an exciting climax to the WTA Finals. As they prepare to clash, fans can expect a display of high-quality doubles tennis that highlights the strengths of each player.
