In the absence of the Billie Jean King Cup, there are no major tournaments left to be played in the current WTA season, which means that next year will begin with the current ranking. Aryna Sabalenka, champion of the Australian Open and the US Open this season, has ended the year as world number 1 for the first time. The Belarusian took over Iga Swiatek’s position as leader after winning her first two matches of the WTA Finals (the Masters Cup), held in Riyadh last week.
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The Pole follows him in the WTA ranking in a season in which she has won Roland Garros, her fourth Grand Slam after her three previous crowns at the Philippe Chatrier and her victory at the US Open in 2022. Swiatek has added to her record this season the bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games and the Masters 1000 in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome.
Swiatek after winning at Roland Garros
The third is Cori Gauff, who has recovered her best version in the second round when she needed it most. The American has won this season at the Beijing Masters 1000 and at the WTA Finals, where she beat Iga Swiatek in the group stage, Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and Zheng Qinwen in the final. In addition, Gauff won the Roland Garros title in doubles with the Czech Katerina Siniakova.
The fourth world racket is Jasmine Paolini, winner at the Dubai Masters 1000 and finalist at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The Italian finishes the year in a privileged position thanks to her enormous consistency throughout the year.
Zheng Qinwen with Olympic gold
Zheng Qinwen is next in the WTA rankings. The Chinese, a disciple of Pere Riba, has established herself among the best this season, achieving Olympic gold in Paris 2024 as a great feat. In addition, Zheng made the final at the Australian Open and at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, losing against Aryna Sabalenka and Cori Gauff respectively.
Elena Rybákina is ranked sixth in the world after an irregular campaign marked by injuries. The Kazakh has won the WTA 250 in Brisbane and the WTA 500 in Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart this year.
In positions seven, eight and nine in the ranking are three tennis players who have been rewarded for their great perseverance this season. In order, the first of them is Jessica Pegula, champion of the Toronto Masters 1000 and finalist in the US Open. The eighth is Emma Navarro, one of the fittest players at the moment. The American won her first title as a professional at the beginning of the year at WTA 250 in Hobart (Australia). Dària Kasatkina has entered the top ten at the last minute thanks to her great consistency, rewarded this year with the WTA 250 in Eastbourne and Ningbo.
The tennis player who closes the top 10 is Barbora Krejčíková, who in a season of ups and downs made her talent prevail to achieve her crown at Wimbledon. In addition, the Czech made the semifinals in the WTA Finals, a phase to which she qualified being in the same group as Cori Gauff and Iga Swiatek.
Possible Spanish presence
Paula Badosa is approaching the Top 10
In the second part of the season, Paula Badosa managed to leave her injuries behind and progressively approached her best level. The Spaniard won the title at the WTA 500 in Washington and made the semifinals at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati and Beijing. The former world number two is a clear candidate to return to the Top 10 in 2025.
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