WTA Race to Riyadh: Aryna Sabalenka & Iga Swiatek chase Keys, Anisimova breaks into top-5

Despite skipping the WTA 1000 Qatar Open, Madison Keys remains atop the WTA Race to Riyadh, ahead of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. The world No. 7 owes her lead to two major titles this season—the Adelaide International and the Australian Open—giving her a comfortable advantage over world No. 1 Sabalenka, whom she defeated in the Melbourne final to claim her maiden Grand Slam.

Unlike the official WTA Rankings, which account for the past 52 weeks, the WTA Race only includes points earned in 2025. By the end of the season, the top eight players will qualify for the WTA Finals.

Despite withdrawing from both the Qatar and Dubai Opens, Keys remains in first place with 2,554 points, holding a significant lead over Sabalenka (1,820 points). The Belarusian suffered a shock early exit in Doha, losing her opener to Ekaterina Alexandrova, missing a key opportunity to close the gap. However, she could still take the top spot this week if she wins the Dubai Open.

Iga Swiatek completes the top three with 1,505 points. The Pole looked poised to secure her fourth consecutive Doha title but was upset in the semifinals. With Dubai now on the horizon, she will need a strong showing to keep pace with the leaders.

The biggest climber this week is Amanda Anisimova, who claimed her first WTA 1000 title in Qatar, earning 1,135 points to move into fourth place. The American defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the final, securing 1,000 points that position her as an early contender in the race.

The current WTA Race top eight also includes Paula Badosa (972), Ekaterina Alexandrova (971), Coco Gauff (950), and Belinda Bencic (922). Just outside the cutoff, Elena Rybakina—who reached the Doha quarterfinals—sits in ninth place with 810 points, while Doha runner-up Ostapenko holds 732 points in 10th place.