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Tennis analysts and former players Marion Bartoli, Martina Navratilova, Madison Keys and Laura Robson have shared their predictions ahead of the season-ending WTA Finals in Indian Wells. Five returning competitors, including reigning champion and world No 1 Elena Rybakina, will face three debutants in the California desert tournament.
The Tournament Groups
The tournament field is divided into two groups for the round-robin stage. Group 1 features top seed Elena Rybakina, fourth seed Coco Gauff, fifth seed Jessica Pegula, and eighth seed Linda Noskova. Group 2 consists of second seed Aryna Sabalenka, third seed Mirra Andreeva, sixth seed Elina Svitolina, and seventh seed Karolina Muchova.
Winner Predictions
Marion Bartoli selected Aryna Sabalenka to win the title, narrowly edging out Elena Rybakina, as reported by SkySports. Sabalenka holds an 85 per cent hard-court win rate this year with 34 victories from 40 matches, alongside a 12-match winning streak in March that secured the ‘Sunshine Double’ by defeating Rybakina in the Indian Wells final and Aryna Sabalenka in the Miami semi-final before beating Coco Gauff for the title. Bartoli noted that Sabalenka enters the event with fresh legs after playing only three matches since the US Open final, though adjusting her competitive rhythm in the cooler desert evenings will be key.
Bartoli also noted that Rybakina presents an equally strong case as the year-end world No 1, defending WTA Finals champion, and the player with the most hard-court wins this season at 41. Rybakina previously defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open and US Open finals as well as last year’s WTA Finals championship match.
Martina Navratilova and Madison Keys both picked Elena Rybakina to claim the trophy. Keys highlighted Rybakina’s two Grand Slam titles, the top ranking, and her prior success in the desert after winning the title in 2023. Meanwhile, Laura Robson also backed Aryna Sabalenka to take home the championship.
Dark Horse Contenders
Marion Bartoli named Mirra Andreeva as her dark horse, pointing to Andreeva’s previous title run at Indian Wells where she defeated Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek, and Sabalenka. Bartoli praised Andreeva’s ability to handle different styles of play at age 17, as well as her hard-court titles in Adelaide and Linz, a Roland-Garros Grand Slam victory, and a final appearance in Beijing.
Madison Keys also selected Mirra Andreeva as her dark horse, stating that the desert conditions suit the player’s strengths and helped her produce notable performances, including her 2025 title run. Martina Navratilova chose Jessica Pegula as her dark horse, noting that a victory in the desert could provide a major title for Pegula this season. Laura Robson picked Elina Svitolina as her dark horse for the tournament.
