By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, November 7, 2022
No. 6 Caroline Garcia faces No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka in a WTA Finals championship match between two women playing for their biggest career title.
Photo credit: WTA Instagram
Mastering the art of the first-strike should decide the WTA Finals champion.
Caroline Garcia faces Aryna Sabalenka in tonight's WTA Finals championship match in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Both power players have played proactive tennis reaching the WTA Finals title match for the first time and both will be aiming to take the first strike in this final.
WTA Finals Championship
(6) Caroline Garcia (France) vs. (7) Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Head-to-head: 2-2
Last Meeting: Caroline Garcia d. Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in 2022 Cincinnati Semifinals
2022 Records: Caroline Garcia 42-20, Aryna Sabalenka 33-21.
TV: Tennis Channel
Here's our look at the WTA Finals by the Numbers.
1 Caroline Garcia leads the WTA Tour in aces this season with 383 in 62 matches.
2 Aryna Sabalenka reached a career-high rank of No. 2.
2 This is the second time in WTA Finals history the No.6 and No.7 seeds have faced off in the final. The other occasion was 2004, when No.6 Maria Sharapova stunned No.7 Serena Williams, who injured her abdominal in that final, in three sets.
3 Caroline Garcia is the third Frenchwoman to reach the final following Mary Pierce and Amelie Mauresmo.
4 Aryna Sabalenka is only the fourth woman in history to defeat the world No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 en route to a tournament final. The other three to achieve it: Steffi Graf (1999 Roland Garros), Serena Williams (2002 Miami Open) and Venus Williams (2008 WTA Finals).
8 The WTA Finals champion will be the eighth different winner in the last eight WTA Finals.
9 of Aryna Sabalenka's 10 career titles have come on her favored hard court.
10 Number of singles titles each finalist has won.
10-1 Aryna Sabalenka's record in 2022 when she hits more aces than double faults in a match.
16 Caroline Garcia has won a Tour-best 16 three-set matches in 2022.
25 Tonight's champion will be the 25th different woman to raise the WTA Finals championship.
27 Aryna Sabalenka has hit a tournament-high 27 double faults and 18 aces en route to final.
29 A 29-year-old Caroline Garcia is playing to become just the fourth woman to win the WTA Finals after turning 29.