Elena Rybakina ended her season in the best way possible. On November 8th in Riyadh, she beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(0) to win the WTA Finals. Imagine she is the same athlete who almost didn’t make it to the tournament, yet in the finals, she fought through shoulder problems and won every match. But wait… her victory didn’t just earn her another trophy; it made history in its own way.

Yes, well, Rybakina won $5.235 million, the largest amount in the history of women’s sports. However, the athlete doesn’t have the privilege to retain all the money. Their home pay is determined by the location they reside in and the location where the event occurs. Now, the question arises: how much of that does Elena Rybakin get to keep?

What is the total prize money for the WTA Finals 2025?

The 2025 WTA Finals will have a total prize money of $15.5 million, of which $12.4 million will go to singles and $3.1 million to doubles.

In the case of singles, the undefeated champion can receive $5.235 million, and a player who loses in one of the round-robin matches will receive $4.88 million. A flawless 5-0 in doubles will earn someone $1.139 million, and a 1-loss season will earn them $1.067 million.

The payouts of the singles per win are as follows:

• Round-robin win: $355,000 per match

• Semi-final win: $1,290,000

• Final win: $2,540,000

• Participation fee: $340,000

• Alternate fee: $150,000

In perspective, the total prize money in 2024 was $15.25 million, and thus, there is a slight increase in the current year. At that time, an undefeated singles winner made approximately $5.155 million.

How much will Elena Rybakina earn before taxes?

Elena Rybakina had an amazing WTA Finals, winning all five of her matches without losing a single one. Because of this, she earned $5.235 million, the biggest prize given to any female player this year. This even beat the $5 million that Aryna Sabalenka won at the US Open.

In the final, Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6‑3, 7‑6(0). She also earned 1,500 ranking points for being undefeated. Sabalenka, as the runner-up, received $2.695 million.

Here’s how Rybakina’s total prize was calculated:

• Round-robin wins: 3 matches × $355,000 = $1,065,000

• Semi-final win: $1,290,000

• Final win: $2,540,000

• Participation fee: $340,000

Total: $5,235,000

So her prize is the sum of all her match wins plus the participation bonus.

How much will Elena Rybakina lose to taxes after winning the WTA Finals?

Elena Rybakina’s total prize money at the 2025 WTA Finals was $5.235 million. But how much of that does she actually get to keep? Let’s break it down.

1. Taxation in her home country – Kazakhstan

• Kazakhstan taxes its residents on all worldwide income at a flat 10% rate.

• Fortunately, Kazakhstan has a tax treaty with Saudi Arabia that prevents double taxation. This means if Elena Rybakina pays taxes in Saudi Arabia, she can claim a credit at home, so she won’t be taxed twice on the same prize money.

2. Taxation in Saudi Arabia, where the event is held

• Individual employment income is not subject to taxation in Saudi Arabia, but withholding tax (WHT) is levied on the payments by Saudi sources to non-residents.

• The general WHT rates of non-residents are:

  1. 5%: interest, rent, dividends, some service payments.

  2. 15%: royalties and some other payments.

  3. Up to 20%: management fee or other specified services.

A foreign athlete will usually receive prize money as payment for services, and as such, we can calculate a 15% WHT on non-resident sports prizes.

So, how much tax would Rybakina pay

• Total prize money: $5,235,000

• Estimated Saudi WHT (15%): $5,235,000 × 0.15 ~ $785,250

• Net after Saudi tax: $5,235,000 − $785,250 ~ $4,449,750

Since Kazakhstan’s tax rate (10%) is lower than the estimated WHT, Elena Rybakina would not owe additional tax at home.