Zheng Qinwen New No. 1? The ranking that places her above Sabalenka and Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka concluded a dream season as the leader of the official WTA rankings, securing two Grand Slam titles. The Belarusian surpassed Iga Swiatek just weeks before the season’s end, dethroning her after a 50-week reign at the top.
Sabalenka claimed the Australian Open and US Open titles, along with two WTA 1000 events. Meanwhile, Swiatek secured her fourth French Open title and four WTA 1000 titles. However, neither player reached the final of the WTA Finals, where Coco Gauff triumphed in a thrilling third-set tiebreak against Zheng Qinwen.
The 22-year-old Chinese star had a standout season, breaking into the top 10 for the first time after reaching the Australian Open final. She later captured Olympic gold in Paris 2024, defeating Swiatek in the semifinals—a monumental win over the four-time French Open champion.
Zheng’s late-season surge included a title at the Palermo Open, semifinals at the China Open, and runner-up finishes at the Wuhan Open and the WTA Finals. These achievements placed her at World No. 5 in the official WTA rankings. However, she currently tops the UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) alternative ranking.
Unlike the WTA rankings, which consider points accumulated over the past 52 weeks, the UTR places greater emphasis on a player’s recent form and the calibre of their opponents. This means that the ranking doesn’t just reflect tournament progress but also who the player defeated along the way, offering a potentially more accurate snapshot of current performance levels.
