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2023 WTA Finals: Can Iga Swiatek dethrone Aryna Sabalenka as World No. 1 at season-ending championship?
WTAThursday, 26 October 2023 at 21:32
The 2023 WTA Finals will take place in Cancun, Mexico, from October 29 - November 5. While the Top 8 players of the season will battle it out for the prestigious title, Iga Swiatek will also be aiming to win an uphill battle to usurp Aryna Sabalenka as World No. 1 in the WTA Ranking.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek first became No. 1 following the shock retirement of Ashleigh Barty last year. After this, a dominant season in 2022 and a large amount of success this year saw her hold onto the position for 75 weeks, which is the tenth-longest amount of time in history.
However, after the 22-year-old failed to defend her title at the 2023 US Open, she lost the top spot to reigning Australian Open Sabalenka, who finished as runner-up to Coco Gauff at Flushing Meadows.
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Swiatek faces uphill battle to overtake Sabalenka at WTA Finals
Nevertheless, there is still a chance that Swiatek can overtake Sabalenka at the WTA Finals and end the year as World No. 1 for the second time. The 25-year-old currently tops the WTA Ranking with 8,425 points, while Swiatek sits in second with 7,795 points, meaning that there is a 630-point gap between them.
The WTA Finals are slightly different than most tournaments on the Tour, with a round-robin format offering 125 points to all those who play in the groups, with an extra 125 going to the winners of each match at this stage. Those who win in the semi-final receive 330 points, while the overall winner will get 430 points.
This means that Sabalenka can secure her place as year-end No. 1 by winning the title with a 2-1 record in the round-robin phase. This is regardless of what Swiatek achieves at the tournament.
Therefore, Swiatek is reliant on a few different scenarios in order to re-gain the top spot. Firstly, if Sabalenka were 3-0 in the group stage, Swiatek would need to win the title, also with a 3-0 record in the round-robin phase.
Alternatively, if Sabalenka's group phase record is 2-1, Swiatek will need to win the title with a 3-0 or 2-1 record.
If Sabalenka has a 1-2 record in the group stage, Swiatek could overtake her by winning the title, and if Sabalenka were 0-3 in the round-robin phase, Swiatek would need to win the title or reach the final.
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- FYI: The term 'snub' is a much overused verb by writers of sensationalist rags. [SNUB: rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully]. That is not the definition of what is going on with frequent withdrawals from tournaments.
mandoist16-09-2024 - No offence, Mr. Lloyd, but where have you been the past two years?? How long have you been a tennis fan? This 'article' may be informative for newbies or fair-weather tennis observers but the majority of fans know the root of the multiple issues within WTA. The #1 issue being the subject of health & well-being which has been (or has attempted to be) addressed with the WTA Elitist council members last season. WTA was extremely dismissive of players' concerns and opposed to such a meeting. Eventually giving-in due to publicity and allowed selective players only -- no rep's, no medical personnel, and no team members. The meeting was a farce as WTA soon after that released an even more hectic schedule... with mandatory tourneys! Guess they weren't taking notes?? BTW: There is a lot missing from this piece concerning "withdrawals". No writer has yet taken the jump to get behind the scenes and dig at the problems -- obvious organizational problems. IMO, the top two issues are WTA's lack of proper attention to health & well-being of its Money-Makers; and Financial Greed. Tip to Mr. Lloyd: there is no "snubbing" when these players withdraw. These women have to take such measures as withdrawing from a tourney, and occasional time-off from the circuit, to protect themselves -- because WTA refuses to take any measures at all (although not allowing matches until sunrise is a start). Surely you can do better than point fingers at players. The finger-pointing should be directed entirely at WTA (and ATP). Be a true journalist, Mr. Lloyd, and research them!!mandoist16-09-2024
- Uh-oh.... Now Raducanu is being forced to compete! Let's see who withdraws next... I wonder??mandoist15-09-2024
- And this is such a shock to WTA?? How many times are they (WTA & ATP) going to keep stepping in their own s*** ???mandoist15-09-2024
- They can go down together!mandoist15-09-2024
