Iga Swiatek has reached a milestone moment in her career by spending 100 weeks as world No. 1 in women’s tennis. She took over the top spot in the rankings in April 2022 after Ashleigh Barty’s retirement and has remained there for almost the entire time since then. Swiatek recently moved into ninth place on the all-time list for weeks spent as No. 1, surpassing Lindsay Davenport. She now has Justine Henin and Barty in her sights, with Steffi Graf holding the record for the most weeks at No. 1.
Swiatek’s first week as world No. 1 began on April 4, 2022, and she held the position for 75 consecutive weeks before briefly being displaced by Aryna Sabalenka last autumn. She regained the No. 1 ranking after winning the WTA Finals and has built up a healthy lead over Sabalenka. Swiatek currently has a 2,712-point advantage at the top of the rankings, with points to defend at upcoming tournaments including Madrid, Rome, and the French Open, where she is the defending champion.
Sabalenka, Gauff, and Rybakina could potentially challenge for the world No. 1 ranking. Sabalenka, the current world No. 2, has opportunities to gain points at upcoming tournaments where she has few points to defend from the previous year. Gauff, ranked world No. 3, is also in contention for the top spot with limited points to defend at Madrid, Rome, and the French Open. Despite winning in Stuttgart, Rybakina is still far behind Swiatek in the rankings but could be a contender in the future.
Swiatek expressed that she still feels like she has a lot of work to do and is focused on continuing to improve in the coming years. The 22-year-old acknowledges that there have been players who dominated throughout their careers, and she sees herself as still being at the beginning of hers. Swiatek is scheduled to play in the Madrid Open, where she will face either Wang Xiyu or Ana Bogdan in her opening match. Sabalenka, Gauff, and Rybakina are also set to compete in the tournament, with the potential for a repeat of last year’s final between Swiatek and Sabalenka.
In conclusion, Iga Swiatek has reached an impressive milestone by spending 100 weeks as world No. 1 in women’s tennis. She has proven herself as one of the top players in the world and continues to strive for further success. With contenders like Sabalenka, Gauff, and Rybakina on her heels, the race for the top ranking remains competitive. Swiatek remains focused on her development and the challenges that lie ahead, determined to solidify her status as one of the all-time greats in women’s tennis.
