Rybakina, Gauff drawn together at WTA Finals, Sabalenka faces Andreeva

World number one Elena Rybakina and American Coco Gauff were drawn in Group One for the WTA Finals, ​while second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will face third-ranked Mirra ‌Andreeva in Group Two at the season-ending championship.

Defending champion Rybakina will begin her title defense against Gauff, four-time WTA Finals participant Jessica Pegula ​and reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, who is ​making her tournament debut.

Sabalenka’s group also includes 19-year-old Andreeva, ⁠2018 WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina and Czech Karolina ​Muchova.

The event, which brings together the season’s top eight qualifiers, ​will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden from November 8 to 15. The top two players from each round-robin group will ​advance to the semifinals.

Rybakina, who claimed the world number one ​ranking after September’s US Open, said the position brought both added scrutiny ‌and ⁠motivation.

“It has been an unbelievable couple of months,” Rybakina said during Tuesday’s draw ceremony.

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“It is of course pressure because of all of the attention, but at the same time ​it’s motivation because ​you don’t ⁠want to lose. In this sport, you still need to work a lot.”

Sabalenka will be ​looking for vengeance after losing her top ranking ​to ⁠Rybakina at the US Open. The Belarusian won both Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year to complete the “Sunshine Double.”

In July, ⁠organizers ​announced the tournament would move from ​Riyadh to Indian Wells following the early end of the WTA’s hosting agreement ​with Saudi Arabia.