From the Americas to Asia, starting August 2025, Pressure Girl has been defeated in every tour final she reached.

It is well known that the tour events, aside from the four Grand Slams, represent the highest tier of competition. Since there are only a few WTA1000 tournaments each year, reaching the final of a WTA500 event is no easy feat. Usually, players who make multiple finals eventually claim a title.

However, there is one player who, from August 2025 until now, has reached four WTA500 finals but lost each time to her opponents. So, who is this player? And which WTA500 finals did she reach? Today, this article will take you through her story.

This player is Russian Aleksandrova. Known for her powerful shots that put immense pressure on opponents, fans often call her "Pressure Girl." In 2020, Aleksandrova won her first tour title, and she has since reached the round of 16 at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

In mid-August 2025, Aleksandrova entered the WTA500 Monterrey Open as the tournament's second seed. After a first-round bye, she convincingly defeated Australian player Tomljanovic in the second round to advance. She then beat Czech players Noskova and Bouzkova, reaching her second tour final of the 2025 season. Unfortunately, after a tough three-set battle in the final, she lost to compatriot Schneider. Notably, this was Schneider's first tour title of the 2025 season.

In mid-September, Aleksandrova, who again had a first-round bye at the WTA500 Seoul event, overcame a one-set deficit in the second round to defeat French player Bouzas, who had just reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros. Perhaps boosted by this victory, Aleksandrova then went on to beat German qualifier Seidel and Czech player Syniakova, advancing to the final.

In the final, after easily taking the first set 6-1, six-time Grand Slam champion Polish player Swiatek mounted a comeback, winning the next two sets to overturn Aleksandrova. It is worth noting that this was Swiatek's first WTA500 title of the 2025 season.

In mid-October, as the fourth seed at the WTA500 Ningbo event, Aleksandrova again enjoyed a first-round bye. She then defeated Chinese player Yuan Yue and American player Kessler to reach the semifinals. There, she swept compatriot Schneider, avenging her previous loss. However, in the final, she was upset by Kazakhstan's Leybakina, marking her third defeat in a WTA500 final during the 2025 season.

Last week, Aleksandrova ended a three-match losing streak by beating Ukrainian player Astremiska, who had previously reached a Grand Slam semifinal, in the second round of the WTA500 Abu Dhabi event. She then defeated Philippines’ Iera and American Battist to reach her first tour final of the 2026 season. However, she surprisingly lost to Czech qualifier Belec in the final, finishing as runner-up once again.

From Monterrey, Seoul, Ningbo to Abu Dhabi, spanning seven months and four WTA500 finals—all ended in defeat—Aleksandrova’s “finals curse” continues. This talented Russian powerhouse, when will she break free from being the perennial runner-up and finally lift a long-awaited championship trophy? We eagerly await the answer. That’s today’s tennis story; see you again tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)