Swiatek achieves more rankings history, yet Sabalenka’s irrepressible rise looms large
The Pole is now into her 125th week as world No 1, having first reached the summit of the WTA rankings on April 4th, 2022.
For the past two-and-a-half years, the WTA Tour has been defined by the dominance of Iga Swiatek.
Nowhere is this more starkly illustrated than in the WTA rankings. Since April 4th 2022, the imperious Pole has slipped from the world No 1 position just once – for a fleeting eight weeks at the tail end of the 2023 season – before reasserting her authority on the rest of the field by reclaiming top spot in time to clinch the year-end No 1 ranking, taking the WTA Finals title with it, just for good measure.
It was this brief blip that has, inadvertently, allowed Swiatek to accomplish the latest of her increasingly impressive ranking records.
The world No 1 is currently enjoying her 125th week as the leading women’s player. But more pertinently, she has also just notched a 50th consecutive week at the top of the pile – for the second time.
This makes Swiatek just the seventh player in WTA rankings history to record multiple 50-week stints at No. 1. And she is keeping some good company.
The other women to achieve this feat are Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Serena Williams.
Swiatek’s consecutive runs as the WTA’s finest are comprised of a first stint of 75 weeks between April 2024 and September 2023, followed by her current stretch spanning from November 2023 to October the following year, and counting.
