The WTA Finals at the end of the year is the climax of a long and arduous tennis schedule. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are among the famous champions to lift this prestigious trophy.
But in addition to providing the top eight elite players of the year with the opportunity to compete against the best, the WTA Finals also provide players with a chance to relax and forget about tennis for a while.
In past years, the drawing ceremony was accompanied by a celebration involving all finalists. Player photos have also become a beloved tradition.
Here, we take a look back at some of the most iconic photos from the WTA Finals over the years:
#5 Shenzhen WTA Year-End Finals (2019)
The photography and awards ceremony at the 2019 Finals in Shenzhen, China, were iconic for more reasons than one.
First, organizers announced a massive prize money for the winner at the time—$3,505,000 plus round-robin bonuses—the highest pay on the men’s and women’s tours at the time.
Ashleigh Barty finally lifted the trophy. But the ‘final eight’, including former champions Petra Kvitova and Elena Svitolina, posed with the silver cup against the backdrop of Shenzhen’s vast skyline at the start of the tournament, treating the cake to the year The most memorable moment of the tournament.
#4 Guadalajara(2022)
If 2019 is remembered for delivering the biggest prize money in the sport, its direct successor is iconic for showing the world that money isn’t what the sport stands for after all.
However, the tennis world briefly united in concern for the safety of former pro Peng Shuai, who has made a series of sexual abuse accusations against former Chinese Vice Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli.
Not worried about the financial impact, the WTA severed all ties with China and decided to hold its year-end championships in Guadalajara. Concerns about a much smaller bonus purse fade away in the face of larger messages being sent.
The competition also featured unforgettable photos under lights with the historic Cathedral of Our Lady of Zapopan as the backdrop.
#3 Istanbul(2012)
Before Singapore, the finals followed an extraordinary few years in Istanbul. Especially in 2012, the competition was fierce among the teams led by Serena Williams.
Wearing matching red outfits, Americans Kvitova and Petra Kvitova were joined by some of the most recognizable faces of the tennis era: Maria Sharapova, Angelique Kerber, Victoria A Zarenka, Li Na, and Agnieszka Radwanska.
The “Elite Eight” stand in the foreground of a palatial set with sweeping drapes and a giant chandelier, a classic.
#2 Madrid(2007)
Until 2007, the event wasn’t the star-studded event we know today. Needless to say, the photo shoot didn’t work out either and fans were left with the odd selfie or group photo.
But the addition of Hugo Boss changed everything. The first photos commissioned for the WTA Finals feature the likes of Justine Henin, Williams Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic.
The monochromatic photos used for advertising are iconic. Not only did it successfully do the job of attracting attention from the media world ahead of that year’s WTA Finals, but it also set the trend for “photography” for years to come.
#1 Singapore(2014)
In its final year in Singapore, the WTA Finals pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable event.
The organizers had all the big names in attendance, from Serena, Sharapova, Kvitova, Radwanska, Simona Halep, except for two who are Grand Slam winners. , Caroline Wozniacki and Eugenie Bouchard to start.
Standing on a balcony next to the lush Gardens by the Bay, the Elite Eight painted a picture of each payer acting as a sentinel, protecting each tower.