WTA rankings update: Iga Swiatek start 123rd week as World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka closing in
Iga Swiatek began her 123rd week as the World No. 1 after the WTA rankings were updated on Monday (September 30), with Aryna Sabalenka breathing down her neck. There aren't any major changes in the ladder given that most players are still competing at the China Open.
Swiatek sits atop the WTA rankings with 10,885 points to her name. Last week, she surpassed Ashleigh Barty to find herself at No. 7 in the all-time list of weeks spent at World No. 1.
The Pole now trails only Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Martina Hingis and Monica Seles in that aspect.
With her choosing not to defend the China Open crown that she had lifted 12 months ago, Swiatek risks Sabalenka coming in very close to her in the WTA rankings.
The World No. 1 will drop 1,100 points next Monday and if Sabalenka wins the title, she will end up with 9,501, just 200-odd shy of Swiatek’s 9,785. The Belarussian, who has already booked her spot in the fourth round in Beijing, currently has 8,716 points.
There were no other changes in the top 10 of the WTA rankings but there could be a big shakeup at the end of the China Open next week.
For now, US Open finalist Jessica Pegula continues to sit in third place with 6,220 points, followed by Elena Rybakina in fourth with 5,731 points and Jasmine Paolini with 5,348 points in fifth.
Coco Gauff (4,983 points), Zheng Qinwen, (3,920 points), Emma Navarro (3,698 points), Danielle Collins (3,178 points) and Barbora Krejcikova (3,161 points) round out the top-10.
Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula lead the charge to chase down Iga Swiatek in WTA rankings
Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are leading the charge at the China Open in the absence of World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Both women are through to the fourth round and stand to gain in the WTA rankings. A win in Beijing will even get Pegula to a total of 6,852 points.
Jasmine Paolini, meanwhile, could also reach a new career-high by reaching the quarterfinals or better, given that Elena Rybakina is not playing in the event.
Other top-10 names whose positions stand to change include Barbora Krejcikova, who may drop out of the bracket given her second-round loss to Jaqueline Cristian. Both Daria Kasatkina and Beatriz Haddad Maia are breathing down her neck and are two wins away from dislodging the Czech.