The world No. 1 is sitting out the China Open; can the reigning Roland Garros champ hold off Aryna Sabalenka for the top spot with a strong finish in Asia and the WTA Finals?
What’s at Stake
Since attaining the world number one ranking in April 2022, Iga Swiatek has held that spot for all but eight weeks. But by the end of 2023, Swiatek had regained her place at the top from Aryna Sabalenka.
Though Swiatek has remained No. 1 ever since, the picture looks different this fall. While Swiatek won her fourth Roland Garros title this year, Sabalenka has taken the two hard-court majors, adding the US Open to a successful Australian Open title defense. Swiatek has significant points to defend from last season: title runs at the WTA 1000 stop in Beijing—which she’s opted to skip, citing “personal matters”—and the WTA Finals. And even if the points tally keeps Swiatek at number one on the computer, Sabalenka’s Slam success emphatically makes the case for her as the best player of 2024.
“Well, I’m always trying to have lower expectations, because I know that any of us can win this tournament, and it’s not going to be easy. And also, I feel like when I have high expectations, I never perform well. So, I try to lower them.”
