Aryna Sabalenka is one of the most in-form players in the world. The Belarusian star has successfully defended her Wuhan Open title to heat the race for the year-end World No. 1 spot against her rival Iga Swiatek.
After Swiatek decided to skip the Asian swing, Sabalenka was presented with a chance to close the gap on the Pole. The 26-year-old grabbed the opportunity by successfully defending her title in Wuhan and winning 1000 points.
Currently, the World No. 1 has 9,785 points to her name while Sabalenka is in the second spot with 9,716 points, trailing by just 69. With the top two ranked players set to compete at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the year-end World No. 1 spot will be decided in the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
Aryna Sabalenka has a slight advantage over Swiatek in this race. The Belarusian lost in the semifinals of the WTA Finals last year and that could work in her favor this year. She won 625 points during the WTA Finals 2023, winning two matches during the round-robin before losing one to Jessica Pegula.
If Sabalenka does manage to go one step better and reach the final or even better, win the final, she is set to be named the year-end World No.1 for the first time in her career.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek will have a tougher run to claim the year-end World No. 1 spot. The Polish star is the defending champion at the event and would have to win the title again to secure her status as the World No. 1.
Swiatek won 1500 points and went unbeaten during the WTA Finals 2023. The Pole even knocked out Sabalenka in the semifinals on her way to the title. Now, the 23-year-old will have to repeat her feat of last year to guarantee her a top spot at the end of 2024.
This battle for the top finish has added an extra layer of excitement for the tournament in Riyadh. Sabalenka and Swiatek would hope to capitalize on any slip-ups from either player and the year-end World No. 1 spot could go down the wire.
Aryna Sabalenka creates history with a title win at the Wuhan Open
Aryna Sabalenka cemented her place as the most in-form player in the world by defending her title at the Wuhan Open. She became the first women’s player to win three Wuhan Open titles back to back. She has a record of 17-0 while competing in Wuhan.
In the final, the Belarusian star faced the home favorite Zheng Qinwen. The World No. 2 took an early lead by winning the first set 6-3, however, Qinwen mounted a comeback in the second set and won it 7-5.
The Chinese star was backed by a buoyant home crowd and looked set to complete a comeback by winning the final set, however, the 26-year-old had other plans. She won the final set 6-3 to win the match 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 and write her name in the history books.
