"I think mathematically it’s still possible": Martina Navratilova refuses to rule out possibility of Aryna Sabalenka finishing as world number one this year

Former world number one Martina Navratilova believes Belarus’ tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has a realistic chance of finishing the year as the world number one. The 26-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in women’s tennis in the singles category along with Poland’s Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka, after going through a lot of ups and downs this season, finally managed to register some positive results in the recent past. The most recent of her victories came on Saturday as she lifted the US Open for the first time after beating America’s Jessica Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 7-5.

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Before coming to the US Open, the Minsk-born star won the Cincinnati Masters as well after beating Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-5. Sabalenka’s win on Saturday was her third Grand Slam triumph in her career and the second this year. Earlier this year, she also won the Australian Open after beating China’s Zheng Qinwen in the final in straight sets with a score 6-3, 6-2.

With that win, Sabalenka has not only solidified her place on the second spot in the ATP rankings but she has also reduced the gap from world number one Swiatek to just over 2,169 rating points. The Warsaw-born, however, has more than 2,000 points to defend in the final few months of the season as last year, she won the China Open and the WTA Finals as well.

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Former world number one Navratilova was recently quoted in a report where she stated that Sabalenka has a realistic chance of catching up with Swiatek this season. “She’s the best hard-court player and she’s catching up to Iga Swiatek on the rankings so we’ll see who ends up as world No 1 at the end of the year,” she said. “I think mathematically it’s still possible for Sabalenka to get there by the end of the year and so she should because she’s won two majors.”