Is it time to put Iga Swiatek in the pantheon of all-time greats of women's tennis like Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova?
Iga Swiatek kicked off her 121st week atop the WTA rankings this week, tying Ashleigh Barty's record as well. This puts her in seventh place on the all-time list. The six women ahead of her are among the best that the sport has ever seen.
Steffi Graf leads the pack with 377 weeks as the World No. 1, followed by Martina Navratilova with 332 weeks. Serena Williams is in third place with 319 weeks, and next up is Chris Evert with 260 weeks. Martina Hingis tallied 209 weeks at the summit, while Monica Seles was on top for 178 weeks.
Swiatek first ascended to the top of the rankings in April 2022 on the heels of her triumph at the Miami Open. Since then, she has remained atop for all but eight weeks when Aryna Sabalenka briefly dislodged her last year.
However, Pole reclaimed her position with a dominant run as she won the China Open and the WTA Finals to end the season as the top-ranked player for the second year in a row. Her lengthy reign atop the rankings leaderboard does put her in an elite league, though that's not the only area where she excels.
Iga Swiatek is matching the pace set by the likes of Steffi Graf and Serena Williams
Iga Swiatek won the French Open in 2020, which was also her very first career title. She has upped her title count to 22 since then, which includes five Major titles and finished as the runner-up on another four occasions.
Swiatek has won 12 titles on hardcourts, and 10 on clay. Grass remains the final frontier for her to conquer, and since she has time on her side, she has a good shot to do so.
Swiatek's 22-4 record in championship rounds is on par with legends of the sport such as Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Williams went 20-6 in her first 26 finals and won five Major titles as well.
Graf had an 18-8 record across her first 26 title rounds, while Navratilova went 11-15 in the same statistic. Seles went 18-8 in her first 26 finals, and Evert racked up a 20-6 record. Thus, Swiatek's trajectory is similar to these great players, and if she continues at the same pace, then she could end her career with similar numbers as them.
While the other six women are ahead of Swiatek, she's bridging the gap with every passing year. She has won at least five titles in the last three years, including one Major. She's also not inflating her title count by competing in smaller events. Of her 22 titles, 10 have come at the WTA 1000 level, five at the Majors, and one at the WTA Finals.
Iga Swiatek leads the current tour in almost every key metric
Iga Swiatek leads the WTA Tour in terms of most titles won and finals reached this decade. Her 42-16 record against top-10 players since the start of 2020 is also the best among her peers. While the Pole has a few rivals, she's in a league of her own.
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are the closest threats to Swiatek. However, the Pole's achievements overshadow the combined accomplishments of the other two. This is similar to what we have seen in the past, where one player is the clear standout athlete of their generation.
Williams was this player for nearly two decades. Evert was the leading star of her time and was then eclipsed by Navratilova. Graf rose to the top in the late 1980s and dominated the 1990s. Seles was quickly catching up to her as well until the horrific knife attack derailed her career.
Hingis set numerous youngest-ever records, though she burnt out as quickly as she rose due to an injury. However, she did enjoy brilliant second innings as a doubles player. An early head start does set the foundation for a player to cement their legacy as a great player.
Swiatek has done just that. Even if she were to retire today, she is far more accomplished than most players who have ever played the sport. However, at just 23 years of age, she's unlikely to fade away any time soon, barring a major injury.
The Pole is likely to be the next player to complete a Career Grand Slam, and she has a decade to do so at the very least. While she's not yet at the level of Graf, Williams, et al, there's no doubt that she will be in the same league as them in a few years.