WTA Prize Money Leaders Update: Iga Swiatek still leads by some distance despite Aryna Sabalenka US Open triumph

As we head towards the second half of the season, one player stands out in the WTA Prize Money Leaders this week and it is not Aryna Sabalenka. Iga Swiatek still leads by some distance after adding to her total at the US Open.

Swiatek lost out to Amanda Anisimova in the Quarter-Finals but in the end added to her $7,454,782 initially last update to now sit on $8,207,057. This ahead of Sabalenka who is nearly $1m back on $7,133,419. This is despite the fact that Sabalenka won the title at Flushing Meadows.

But this is also with it not being updated in between fully factoring in the fact that Swiatek had a great Cincinnati winning the title and despite losing to Anisimova, she has long been one of the most consistent players on tour since her mid season slump. She has turned it around from losing her Queen of Clay crown to being the Queen of Grass, a surface she has always struggled on.

As well as making strides to get back to her best on hard courts. With most of the spots already settled for Riyadh, she goes in this time around compared to last year likely in a battle for World No.1 with Sabalenka and leads this list for the reason that she has accrued the most prize money this year and that is a true gauge of her form.

Behind the leading duo remains Coco Gauff. She is on $5,946,685. She lost in the Last 16 at the US Open and so only adds marginally to her total albeit with issues with her serve right now, she still has plenty to work out going into the latter stages of the 2025 season. So does Mirra Andreeva who had a freak ankle injury in Canada. She lost to Taylor Townsend in the third round at Flushing Meadows and despite remaining in the top five, it will be interesting to see how she handles this setback and loss in form after having the tennis world at her feet earlier this year.

Madison Keys as ever remains high up after winning a Grand Slam and despite reaching the final of the US Open and back-to-back Grand Slam finals, Amanda Anisimova has been displaced. She was sixth last update and Jasmine Paolini has stolen a march on the American albeit she also has the income of doubles to fall back on so marginally goes ahead anyway. She is one of only a few, Andreeva included in the top 20 who rely also on doubles.

This has also seen Jelena Ostapenko, Elise Mertens and even Laura Siegemund in the top 25. So it goes both ends of the spectrum. But Paolini who lost in the third round of the US Open did get to the final in Cincinnati in the weeks prior.

Anisimova while she reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals is also very much indicative of a player who peaks in the big events and often when she plays the lower rung, it isn't as polished but for the rankings, it certainly provides her with the scope to become this big game player.

Others in the top 10 and continuing that run are Elena Rybakina who has had a good few weeks and now finds herself albeit way behind Paolini with a bit of a gap now opening up between the leading seven and the rest of the field with the others very much appearing in fits and starts.

Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina round it off. Like alluded to, the doubles stars do make a bit of an impact with after Bencic who remains in 11th, it is the start of players who do both but otherwise wouldn't be lauded for their achievements on the singles court. Veronika Kudermetova for instance is 12th with nearly as much coming from her doubles tandems. Elise Mertens too is a top singles star but perhaps isn't the first pick for it but has a long and storied past playing doubles. Jelena Ostapenko, Diana Shnaider and Laura Siegemund too. Only really Clara Tauson in between has not really been as prolific in doubles and is up there on singles merit.

The Asian Hard Court swing is to follow and the WTA Finals at the end of the year. How much will this change in the next few months and can any of the top names crash the party and find themselves up in the reckoning in one of the best gauges of current form both in singles and doubles.