Iga Swiatek will not be the odds-on favourite to complete the season with the WTA’s No.1 rating, however the six-time main champion has a shot to surpass Aryna Sabalenka if she will proceed on her excessive trajectory down the stretch.
Swiatek, now 1577 factors behind Sabalenka within the Race to Riyadh standings, may decide up important factors this week in Beijing, the place Aryna Sabalenka is sitting out. The Pole can solely acquire factors over the following few weeks, as she was sitting out her one month ban final 12 months and didn’t play between the US Open and the WTA Finals.
Sabalenka, in the meantime, will lose 215 factors from Beijing and is defending one other 1000 in Wuhan. Sabalenka and Swiatek earned 400 factors every finally 12 months’s WTA Finals.
Swiatek, using excessive after kicking off her Asian swing with the title in Seoul, says she’s not likely involved concerning the rating, however admits she is conscious of her present standing in relation to Sabalenka.
“I’d say it’s at all times one thing to be there within the again, however it’s not prefer it’s a important focus,” she mentioned.
Swiatek, who faces China’s Yuan Yue in second-round motion in Beijing, believes one of the best ways ahead is to concentrate on profitable matches relatively than an enormous image rating situation.
“I already know that excited about the rankings, it’s not a option to go, irrespective of in case you’re No. 2 or irrespective of in case you’re No. 1,” she mentioned. “It’s simply numbers. But it surely doesn’t change the truth that it’s good to form of really feel the tennis and concentrate on the development on the courtroom, then the outcomes are going to come back after that.”
2024 was tough for Swiatek as a result of she was pressured to overlook time month on account of her doping ban, and that made it unattainable to earn a 3rd consecutive year-end No.1 rating. In whole, the 24-year-old has held the No.1 rating for 125 weeks, seventh most all-time.
Sabalenka’s 57 weeks – and counting – is thirteenth most all-time.
“For positive it is a completely different state of affairs than final 12 months once I wasn’t actually capable of defend my No. 1, like earn it,” Swiatek mentioned. “So for positive I am simply glad that I am right here and I can compete and battle for it. However… my important focus is extra tennis-related, how I need to play, how I really feel on courtroom.”
