Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are in a winner-takes-all race for world No1 – after battling mental demons on and off the court in 2024, their WTA Finals showdown could define a rivalry for the ages

Sabalenka only recently unseated the Polish star in the WTA rankings as No1

But Swiatek has a chance to sweep the crown after a miserable late 2024 season

Both players have been forced to contend with psychological challenges

It was all smiles between Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek on the shiny new court at the King Saud University in Riyadh as the world No1 and No2 popped balls back and forth over the net in their media-attended practice ahead of this year’s WTA Finals.

Conversation, a hug at the net, and the filming of a TikTok for Sabalenka’s account followed in quick succession. So far, so civil. Things are unlikely to remain that way as the two players prepare for a winner-takes-all battle for the year-end crown in the Kingdom this week.

Sabalenka will be the more wary of the two stars. The Belarusian was annointed World No1 just two weeks earlier in a lightly controversial ranking decision which knocked Swiatek off her long-held perch due to her non-attendance of mandatory events. With two grand slams under her belt in 2024, summit status should be assured – but memories of last year’s Finals will linger.

Then, Swiatek swiped back the honour from Sabalenka by claiming the title at the end of the tour’s showpiece event. Were she to do so again, world No1 status would sweeten the end of a bitter period for the current second in the race.

Cold hard ranking points may only tell the story of a sliver of a player’s season but there is scant detail that can paint a brighter picture of Swiatek’s late summer and early August. Cooling down after US Open quarter-final defeat to Jessica Pegula, the inarguably invasive backstage camera caught the player in tears, wrung dry after failing once again this season to step further than the final eight on any grand slam surface except clay.