Get the Barty party started! Aussie Ashleigh Barty nets record $4.42mn prize money as she beats Elina Svitolina to win WTA Finals
Australian tennis world number one Ashleigh Barty defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine to win the WTA Finals in China and claim a record-breaking $4.42 million in prize money - the biggest ever amount in men's or women's tennis.
First seed Barty remedied her 0-5 head-to-head record against Svitolina, seeing off the defending champion in two sets 6-4, 6-3, to claim the prestigious title at the season-ending event in Shenzhen.
While Barty did not quite pick up the maximum $4.75 million on offer after suffering a defeat to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands during the round robin phase, her prize money is still a record for men's or women's tennis.
It nonetheless eclipses the maximum $2.7 million which will be handed to the winner of the men’s season-ending ATP Finals in London, as well as the $3 million on offer at Wimbledon and the United States Open’s amount of $3.8 million.
It also caps an incredible season for the 23-year-old, who ends the year as world number one and adds the WTA Finals title to the French Open title she won earlier this season.
That's the match and the title!@ashbarty beats Svitolina 6-4, 6-3 to win the Billie Jean King Trophy at the @SHISEIDO_corp @WTAFinals Shenzhen! pic.twitter.com/eiiiXs84rY
— WTA (@WTA) November 3, 2019
Barty has had a sensational season that has seen her rise to the summit of the women’s rankings.
In June she claimed her maiden Grand Slam singles title, defeating Markéta Vondrousová in the French Open final, 6–1, 6–3.
Here it is!
— WTA (@WTA) November 3, 2019
The Billie Jean King Trophy!#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/LYDpkpIWKh
She also added the Miami Open and Birmingham Nature Valley Classic titles to her name, topping the WTA rankings as she edged out Naomi Osaka, becoming the first Australian woman to be number one since 1976.
The last time a reigning Grand Slam champion took the WTA Finals was in 2014, when US tennis legend Serena Williams won her third straight WTA Finals crown in Singapore.