WTA Finals 2024: 3 favorites to win the women's singles title ft. Aryna Sabalenka
The WTA Finals 2024 will get underway from November 2 and the champion will be crowned on November 9. The top eight performing players of the season will battle it out yet again to stamp their authority as the best of the best.
Debutantes Zheng Qinwen and Jasmine Paolini will aim to make a memorable impression. Returning players Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula will try to lay their hands on the winner's trophy this time as well.
However, the top choices for the title are also the tour's top three ranked players. On that note, here's a look at the leading contenders to win the singles title at this year's WTA Finals:
#3 - Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff punched her ticket to her third straight WTA Finals with a string of impressive results. She was one of the most consistent performers in the first half of the season. She defended her title in Auckland and advanced to her first semifinal at the Australian Open.
Gauff reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships and went a round further at the Indian Wells Open. She capped off her time on hardcourts with a fourth-round exit from the Miami Open. She got better and better during the clay swing which culminated in a semifinal finish at the French Open.
The American commenced her journey on grass with a semifinal in Berlin and followed it up with a fourth-round exit from Wimbledon. Her results took a hit after that. She lost in the third round of the Paris Olympics and the Canadian Open, and her title defense in Cincinnati concluded in the second round.
Gauff was the defending champion at the US Open as well, and lost in the fourth round. She regained her form during the Asian swing, with a title at the China Open and a semifinal showing at the Wuhan Open. She has a 50-16 record this year, and a 31-9 record on hardcourts.
Gauff made the semifinals of the WTA Finals last year. Her draw is rather tough this time, and she has a losing record against everyone in her group. However, she's in pretty good form at the moment, and if she maintains the momentum, then she could end the season on a high.
#2 - Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek has earned the mantle of being the favorite in every tournament she enters based on her achievements. Even though her aura of invincibility has diminished in recent weeks, she has enjoyed another stellar season, and has the potential to successfully defend her WTA Finals title.
Swiatek led Poland to the United Cup final at the start of the season, and even though she remained unbeaten in singles, a loss in the mixed doubles cost them the trophy. While she bowed out in the third round of the Australian Open, she rebounded with titles in Doha and Indian Wells, with a semifinal appearance in Dubai squeezed in between.
The 23-year-old crashed out in the fourth round in Miami, and her title defense in Stuttgart came to an end in the semifinals. She wouldn't lose another match for a while, and mowed down the opposition to win the Madrid Open, the Italian Open and the French Open.
Swiatek was the favorite to claim the gols at the Paris Olympics but settled for the bronze medal. Upon her return to hardcourts, she reached the semifinals in Cincinnati, and the quarterfinals of the US Open. She hasn't competed since then, and recently hired Wim Fissette as her new coach.
Swiatek remained unbeaten during her title-winning run at last year's WTA Finals, and consequently reclaimed the top ranking from Aryna Sabalenka. She will need to do the same once again to get back on top, though if her rival wins all three of her group stage matches then even that won't suffice.
Swiatek has a 59-8 record this year, with five titles to her name, four of which have come on hardcourts. She has a 29-5 record on the surface, and a 9-4 record against top 10 players. Given her results, another deep run at the WTA Finals isn't out of the question.
#1 - Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka started the year by reaching the final in Brisbane, which she lost to Rybakina. She then mounted a successful title defense at the Australian Open, and became the first woman to defend her maiden Major title since compatriot Victoria Azarenka did the same Down Under in 2013.
Sabalenka's results weren't up to the mark over the next few months. She showed signs of resurgence with consecutive finals in Madrid and Rome, losing to Swiatek both times. She couldn't capitalize on her momentum as an illness contributed to her quarterfinal exit at the French Open.
An injury forced her to miss Wimbledon as well after that. She recovered in time for the hardcourt swing, and made the semifinals of the Citi Open upon her return. She then lost in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, and finally won her second title of the year at the Cincinnati Open.
Sabalenka extended her winning streak with a victory at the US Open, having lost in the final a year ago. Her nemesis Karolina Muchova snapped her unbeaten run in the China Open quarterfinals, though she resumed her winning ways with a third title at the Wuhan Open.
Having lost in the summit clash two years ago, Sabalenka will be keen to assert her dominance at the WTA Finals this time. She has a 54-12 record for the year, and has a 38-7 record on hardcourts. She has a 9-4 record against top 10 opposition as well, and has posted a 22-2 record since August. Given her form, she is the top choice to win here.