Aryna Sabalenka has dethroned Iga Swiatek to become the new world number one in the latest WTA rankings, ending the Polish star’s 11-month reign.
The 26-year-old Belarusian, who won the US Open and retained her Australian Open title, reaches the summit for the second time after an impressive run in the second half of the year. Sabalenka’s victories in Cincinnati and Wuhan, coupled with her Grand Slam successes, propelled her to the top spot.
Swiatek, 23, drops to second after being handed a points penalty for failing to compete in the mandatory six WTA 500 events. The Polish player, who appointed a new coach earlier this month, has only participated in two of these tournaments and hasn’t played since the US Open in September, citing fatigue.
Swiatek had led the rankings by over 4,000 points midway through the season, following five title wins in the first six months. However, Sabalenka’s consistent performance and strategic title wins slowly bridged the gap.
The season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next month presents Swiatek with an opportunity to reclaim the top spot.
