Can Iga Swiatek successfully defend her year-end World No. 1 spot with in-form Aryna Sabalenka hot on her trail?

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been absent from the women’s tour following her quarterfinal exit in the US Open. She was eliminated by Jessica Pegula in New York in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.

Swiatek has had an excellent season so far, amassing 59 wins from 67 matches, including title-winning runs in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome, and Paris. She also reached the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Cincinnati Open but was unable to progress to the final in those events.
While the Pole was expected to shine during the clay court season, observers were also hoping for a solid performance on grass and hardcourt. For the past three years, Swiatek hasn’t been able to move past the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships and the Pole was stunned by Yulia Putintseva in the third round this year. The Kazakh defeated her in one hour and 59 minutes 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

The 23-year-old also struggled to make a strong impression at the Australian Open. Despite confident wins over Sofia Kenin and Danielle Collins in the first two rounds, she was eliminated by Linda Noskova in the third. The 19-year-old recorded the biggest win of her career, outfoxing the Pole in three sets.
Halfway through the season, Swiatek held a strong lead in the WTA Rankings, but as we approach the final stretch, Aryna Sabalenka has been inching closer to the top spot. The Belarusian has been in scintillating form since August, garnering 22 wins from 24 matches, including title-winning runs at the Cincinnati Open, US Open, and the Wuhan Open. She also reached the quarterfinals of the China Open but came up short against Karolina Muchova in a three-set encounter.