WTA Rankings Update: Aryna Sabalenka benefits again from Swiatek penalty as Paolini, Andreeva and Shnaider reach new heights

With the WTA Finals upon us, the WTA Rankings have been updated one final time before that with Aryna Sabalenka now having a huge advantage as World No.1. ahead of Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka sits at 9,016 points compared to 7,970 from Swiatek. Albeit both again were penalised for missing tournaments which has set about this change and gives Swiatek an uphill task to battle Sabalenka for that top spot in Riyadh.

Jasmine Paolini sits at World No.4 moving up to a new career high and going up two spots. It has been a supreme year for the Italian and the best of her career and she will make her WTA Finals debut this week. She could overtake Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals provided she does better. Jessica Pegula dropped down to World No.6.

Pegula was runner-up at last year's WTA Finals so the points have now dropped. While rises below included Diana Shnaider who went up to World No.14 in this week's rankings. She reached the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open and given her upward trajectory and year thus far is a shoe in for the top 10.

As is Mirra Andreeva who has ended her season but is still up to World No.16. Elina Avanesyan is up to World No.43 for the first time. While Olga Danilovic in winning Guangzhou flew up 34 spots to World No.52 and bettered her previous best of World No.86 by some distance.