Signs were there… and now it’s official! Well, yes, Madison Keys has pulled out of the 2025 WTA Finals due to illness, ending her campaign before her final round-robin showdown with Elena Rybakina. The seventh seed, competing at the year-end championship for the first time since 2016, was set to face Rybakina on Thursday but has now officially withdrawn. But now, the stage is set for someone else.

With Keys out, Elena Rybakina, already through to the semi-finals as group winner, will face second alternate 30-year-old Russian professional Ekaterina Alexandrova in a dead-rubber match. Alexandrova, who reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 10 on 13 October 2025, has won five WTA Tour and three WTA 125 singles titles. But why didn’t first alternate Mirra Andreeva step in?

First alternate Mirra Andreeva, however, opted not to step in, citing fitness concerns and her involvement in the doubles tournament, leaving Alexandrova to grab this sudden opportunity. But let’s be honest, we all had a feeling Madison Keys was going to be out. As she said after withdrawing, “I’m really disappointed to not be feeling my best and ultimately having to withdraw from the tournament. It’s a huge accomplishment to make it this far and I’m very proud of myself for doing that and having a great year. I hope to be back next year,” said Keys in a statement.

Concerns for Keys grew after her second match at the 2025 WTA Finals against Amanda Anisimova, where the Australian Open champion lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 despite leading by a set and a break. After the match, Keys chose not to shake hands with Anisimova, pointing to her chest and stomach area, signaling she was unwell and didn’t want to risk passing anything on. She also skipped the customary handshake with the umpire.

Having already fallen to Iga Swiatek earlier in the group stage, her 0-2 record confirmed she would not advance. It brings an end to Keys’ 2025 campaign, where she won her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and reached a career-high ranking of No. 5. But Madison Keys is not the only one out of the tournament because of health issues.

Before Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini also faced a health scare at the WTA Finals

After losing her singles match on 4 November 2025 to Coco Gauff 6‑3, 6‑2, Jasmine Paolini was officially eliminated from singles contention at the WTA Finals. The Italian had been struggling with illness throughout the tournament, battling flu-like symptoms and fatigue that visibly affected her movement and shot-making on court. Despite the setback, she remains involved in the doubles draw alongside Sara Errani, showing her determination to stay in the competition.

Reflecting on her performance, Paolini admitted, “Coming here and not being 100 percent, it’s painful, of course. It’s not easy to play at that level. Today was a tough one. I was hoping to play a bit better, but I didn’t. I’m a little bit upset, but somehow I have to accept it.”  Now, all eyes turn to Elena Rybakina and Ekaterina Alexandrova, who will face off in a last-minute showdown.

The two recently met in the Ningbo Open final, where Rybakina came back from a set down to win 3‑6, 6‑0, 6‑2. Alexandrova, who had been watching from the stands earlier in the week and earned a $150k (£114k) appearance fee without playing, now has the chance to compete and potentially claim $396,500 per round-robin win. Will experience or opportunity prevail in this unexpected clash?