Ekaterina Alexandrova has enjoyed the best season of her career, cracking the world’s top 10, going deep at the Majors, and lifting her fifth title. The Russian has now made it to the WTA Finals as an alternate, and she is guaranteed to take home £114k ($150k) even if she does not play a single match.
As one of two alternates, Alexandrova can be drafted in to play a round-robin match if any of the eight women in the singles draw pull out before the group stage is complete. But she is still being paid just for turning up and waiting around on site.
Alternates who play zero matches get £114k, while those who must step in to play one match receive £160k ($210k), and alternates who feature in two round-robin matches get £198k ($260k).
Alexandrova is the second alternate at this year’s WTA Finals, behind world No. 9 Mirra Andreeva, who has also qualified for the doubles event alongside her partner, Diana Shnaider.
It means that, alongside any prize money picked up in doubles, Andreeva receives the £114k alternate appearance fee, plus any extra if she is asked to replace a player in the singles field.
While Andreeva is busy competing alongside Shnaider, Alexandrova has been making the most of her time on-site at the King Saud University Indoor Arena. The world No. 10 was in the stands to watch Iga Swiatek beat Madison Keys on day one of the tournament.
Aleksandra Krunic, who is the first doubles alternate alongside her partner Anna Danilina, has followed her lead. Krunic and Danilina get £47k ($62k) in alternate appearance fees, and the Serbian star has been spotted in the crowd with her mum, taking in the action.
It’s not all fun and games for the alternates, however, as they must keep training on-site in the event that they’re asked to step in and play a match.
Last year, Emma Navarro turned down the opportunity to be the first alternate in Riyadh. Instead, Daria Kasatkina was bumped up to be the first alternate, and Danielle Collins jetted in as the number two.
Kasatkina had to play one group match against Swiatek, losing 6-1 6-0. She took Jessica Pegula’s place when the American withdrew, citing a knee injury.
The WTA Finals got underway on Saturday, as Swiatek stormed past Australian Open champion Keys 6-1 6-2. Keys was playing her first match in more than two months.
Elena Rybakina, who was the last woman to qualify, needed just 57 minutes to beat tournament debutant Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-1. After securing the year-end No. 1 ranking, Aryna Sabalenka sealed a straightforward 6-3 6-1 victory over Jasmine Paolini on Sunday.