Aryna Sabalenka in pole position to finish year as number one player in WTA Rankings

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka is in a pole position to finish the year as the number one ranked player in the WTA rankings. The 26-year-old is arguably one of the best players currently playing in women’s tennis in the singles category, along with the likes of Poland’s Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka has recently become the world number one in WTA rankings, overtaking Swiatek as the latter did not participate in the China and the Wuhan Open. The Minsk-born star will next participate in the WTA Finals, which will be played for the first time in Saudi Arabia this year.

As things stand, the three-time Grand Slam winner will finish the year as the number-one ranked player if she manages to win three of her round-robin matches. Therefore, even if Swiatek wins the competition, she would hope that the Belarus’ tennis star will at least lose one of her matches in the group stage. Sabalenka has had an exceptional year at the highest level where she won two out of the four Grand Slams. She first lifted the Australian Open for the second time in her career after beating China’s Zheng Qinwen in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-2.

She then lifted the US Open as well after beating America’s Jessica Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 7-5. Sabalenka’s most recent appearance came in the Wuhan Open where she lifted the title after beating America’s Coco Gauff in the final with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. On the other hand, Swiatek finished the year winning one out of the four Grand Slams. She lifted the French Open for the fourth time after beating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1. Swiatek also went on to win a bronze medal for her country in the Paris Olympics. She defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the third-place encounter in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1.