WTA Race Update: Aryna Sabalenka maintains commanding lead, Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula neck and neck in top-5 chase

The WTA Race to Riyadh was updated this Monday, with Aryna Sabalenka still firmly in the lead. There were no major changes this week, as the calendar was marked by the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers.

Unlike the official WTA Rankings, the Race only takes into account points earned during the 2025 calendar year. The top eight players by season’s end will qualify for the prestigious WTA Finals in Riyadh.

Aryna Sabalenka tops the WTA Race thanks to a strong 23–4 record and two titles so far this season. After winning the WTA 500 in Brisbane at the start of the year, she lost in the finals of both the Australian Open and Indian Wells. However, she bounced back by winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season at the Miami Open, climbing to the No. 1 spot in the Race two weeks ago. She currently leads with over 3,500 points, building a significant gap over second-placed Madison Keys (3,069 points).

The American has proven that her Australian Open title run wasn’t a fluke. With a 20–4 season record and two titles, Keys reached the semi-finals in Indian Wells but suffered early exits in both Miami and Charleston, which marked the beginning of the clay swing. Still, she remains solid in second place — closer to catching Sabalenka than being overtaken herself.

For years, the WTA has faced criticism for its inconsistency, often delivering surprising results. However, this year, the top-ranked players have shown much more stability, and the top 5 remains solidly ahead of the rest.

Mirra Andreeva holds third place in the Race (2,566 points) after winning 13 consecutive matches and claiming back-to-back titles at the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Indian Wells. Just a few weeks away from turning 18, the Russian matches Keys’ 20–4 record and is emerging as one of the favourites on clay.

However, the undisputed queen of this part of the season is Iga Swiatek, who has dropped to fourth place in the Race. The Pole has been consistent, reaching three semi-finals and two quarter-finals in five tournaments. Still, she has fallen short in the later stages and is yet to reach a final. The clay swing is the perfect moment for Swiatek to gain points in the Race, especially considering that she has a huge amount of ranking points to defend in the WTA Rankings — having won Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros in 2024. Her results in the coming weeks will be particularly interesting, as she could simultaneously lose ground in the official rankings while climbing in the Race.

Fifth place belongs to Jessica Pegula, just 5 points behind Swiatek. Whoever goes further this week in Stuttgart will stay ahead of the other. While Swiatek is always a favourite on clay, Pegula comes in with momentum after winning the WTA 500 Charleston Open. With 11 wins in her last 12 matches, she’s in a strong position to surpass Swiatek — both in the Race and in the official WTA Rankings.

Amanda Anisimova, champion of the WTA 1000 Qatar Open, leads the second half of the top 10, where the point differences are minimal — suggesting major changes could happen in the coming weeks. The 23-year-old American sits in 6th place after reaching the semi-finals in Charleston, although an injury forced her to retire against Sofia Kenin.

Clara Tauson (runner-up in Qatar) has 1,366 points, followed closely by Emma Navarro (champion at the WTA 500 Mérida), who has 1,353 points. Both have been consistent, securing regular wins and showing the quality needed to remain near the top. They are both competing this week in Stuttgart, where each win could earn them crucial points to pull ahead of their rivals.

The top 10 is completed by Elena Rybakina and Paula Badosa, who are both absent from competition this week. The Kazakh played in the Billie Jean King Cup over the weekend and won’t be in Stuttgart, where she was the defending champion — missing an opportunity to hold on to her top-10 position. Their spots are at risk this week, with Coco Gauff, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Jasmine Paolini among those who could break into the top 10.