WTA Race to Riyadh: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka on top, big boost for Magdalena Frech ahead of Asian swing
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka continue to lead the WTA Race to Riyadh rankings ahead of the Asian swing. Both women have already booked their spots for the year-ending extravaganza, but the field remains open for the rest.
The Pole, who has won the French Open this year, is in the top spot with 8,285 points to show for. She last added points to her tally at the US Open, where she reached the quarterfinal.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, secured her spot in the WTA Tour Finals after winning the title in New York. She beat Jessica Pegula in the final to capture her second Grand Slam title of the season and take her points tally to 7,876 for the second spot.
This week proved important for another Pole, Magdalena Frech, who was the biggest winner as she soared a massive 29 spots, courtesy of her run to the title in Guadalajara.
The first-time WTA title winner has 1,633 points for a 29th spot in the WTA Race to Riyadh rankings. Beaten finalist Olivia Gadecki also jumped a mammoth 49 spots but sits at a lowly No. 86 with 549 points to her name.
The week’s other title went to Briton Sonay Kartal, who came through the qualification rounds to capture the crown in Monastir. She earned 41 spots in the WTA Race to Riyadh rankings ladder and finds herself at No. 93 with 480 points.
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff lead the pack looking to catch WTA Race to Riyadh leaders Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka
Sitting at No. 3 in the WTA Race to Riyadh rankings right behind Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka is Elena Rybakina, who has 4,981 points to her name.
The Kazakh is closely followed by this year’s French Open and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini in No. 4. The Italian, who also made the second week at the US Open, has 4,865 points to her name.
The American quartet of Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins round out the top 8 players who would qualify if the cut-off mark was Monday (16 September).
Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng and Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcíkova are also in the top 10, while the likes of Jelena Ostapenko, Anna Kalinskaya, Daria Kasatkina, Marta Kostyuk, Paula Badosa, Diana Shnaider and Donna Vekic also find themselves in with a good shot at shaking things up in the coming weeks.