The Navarro effect: Aryna SABALENKA set for significant ranking dent after Indian Wells shock defeat

Amid a shock defeat at Indian Wells for Aryna Sabalenka, it certainly benefits Iga Swiatek as the Belarusian will take a sizeable ranking dent going into Miami only a month after she could've been level for the World Number One spot in Doha with the imperious Pole.

Sabalenka was dumped out 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 by American hope Emma Navarro who leads the tour with match wins, but was certainly not expected to pull off such a win in California. It will see her rise to a new career high ranking of World No.20 and this could get even better if she manages to defeat Maria Sakkari for instance on Thursday night.

Sabalenka will remain World No.2, but will drop 530 points having made the final at Indian Wells last year. This sees the former drop her points from 8,725 to 8,195 giving Swiatek a big chance to hammer home her lead. In winning one more game, Swiatek will move onto 10,105 and stay there. But will drop to 9,930 if she loses to Caroline Wozniacki. The big caveat is the final which would see her add to make it 10,715 by winning the title.

Coco Gauff also could go one WTA 500 or more away from Sabalenka too if she triumphs. She would only be 435 points back. So both Sabalenka and former champion, Elena Rybakina are those to be the lowlights of this tournament ranking wise as the pressure mounts on them going into Miami and for Sabalenka, she went from being potentially World No.1 in a back and forth again to having to look over her shoulder to Gauff and others and not have a chance to become the top player again at least for a while.

The only positive is that Swiatek will then move onto her imperious surface of clay which she is the Queen on, but given her skill on it and her lack of on grass, it could be a while until she is unseated. She will reach 100 weeks as World No.1 too in another milestone if Sabalenka does not enter Charleston in the coming weeks.