Iga Swiatek is not the odds-on favorite to finish the season with the WTA’s No.1 ranking, but the six-time major champion has a shot to surpass Aryna Sabalenka if she can continue on her high trajectory down the stretch.
Swiatek, now 1577 points behind Sabalenka in the Race to Riyadh standings, could pick up significant points this week in Beijing, where Aryna Sabalenka is sitting out. The Pole can only gain points over the next few weeks, as she was sitting out her one month ban last year and did not play between the US Open and the WTA Finals.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, will lose 215 points from Beijing and is defending another 1000 in Wuhan. Sabalenka and Swiatek earned 400 points each at last year’s WTA Finals.
Swiatek, riding high after kicking off her Asian swing with the title in Seoul, says she’s not really concerned about the ranking, but admits she is aware of her current status in relation to Sabalenka.
“I would say it’s always something to be there in the back, but it’s not like it’s a main focus,” she said.
Swiatek believes the best way forward is to focus on winning matches rather than a big picture ranking scenario.
“I already know that thinking about the rankings, it’s not a way to go, no matter if you’re No. 2 or no matter if you’re No. 1,” she said. “It’s just numbers. But it doesn’t change the fact that you need to kind of feel the tennis and focus on the improvement on the court, then the results are going to come after that.”
2024 was difficult for Swiatek because she was forced to miss the month due to her doping ban, which made it impossible to earn a third consecutive year-end No.1 ranking. In total, she has held the No.1 ranking for 125 weeks, seventh most all-time.
Sabalenka’s 57 weeks – and counting – is 13th most all-time.
“For sure it’s a different situation than last year when I wasn’t really able to defend my No. 1, like earn it. So for sure I’m just happy that I’m here and I can compete and fight for it. But… my main focus is more tennis-related, how I want to play, how I feel on court.”
