WTA Rankings Update: Coco Gauff’s Wuhan win secures third place as top five shifts

The final WTA 1000 event of the year at Wuhan has ended, and the top ten has seen a few shifts, with a majority of players holding steady while others made key moves heading into the season’s closing stretch. Coco Gauff’s 6-4, 7-5 triumph against Jessica Pegula in Wuhan proved decisive, pushing her further clear in third place and solidifying her status among the sport’s elite. The 21-year-old American’s consistent form across the season has translated into tangible ranking rewards, capping off what has been one of her most dominant campaigns yet.

After an impressive run through the Wuhan draw, Gauff now holds 7,873 points, sitting comfortably behind Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Her win not only extended her gap over fourth place but also highlighted her growing maturity on tour. Since capturing her maiden Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, Gauff has built a season defined by composure and tactical confidence, qualities that were on full display in Wuhan, where she defeated several top-20 opponents en route to her third WTA 1000 title.

At the top, Aryna Sabalenka remains world number one despite falling to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals in Wuhan. The Belarusian, who boasts 10,400 points, entered the tournament as the favourite with a 11 match win streak but could not contain Pegula’s measured power and precise returning in a tense three-set battle. It was a rare off-day for Sabalenka, whose season has otherwise been defined by consistency and dominance across all surfaces. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek stays steady at No. 2 with 8,768 points. The Pole’s performance in the Asian swing was solid, if unspectacular as she slumped to defeat in the quarterfinals to Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 6-2.

For Jessica Pegula, Wuhan marked another sign of consistency after a series of near misses this season. Her semifinal victory over Sabalenka showcased her trademark composure, court intelligence, and ability to absorb power before turning defense into attack. Although she fell short in the final against Gauff, Pegula’s strong run lifts her one place to number five, reaffirming her position among the tour’s most reliable competitors.

Just above her, Amanda Anisimova remains steady at No. 4 with 5,924 points. The 24-year-old American continues to rebuild her form following injury setbacks, stringing together a series of quarterfinal and semifinal appearances that have kept her in the mix with the game’s best. With three Americans now in the top five, U.S. women’s tennis is enjoying its strongest collective presence in years.

Falling to sixth is Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old prodigy whose fearless play continues to turn heads but has a final from Ningbo last year to defend. Behind her, Madison Keys is still solidly No. 7 but remains one of the most dangerous players on hard courts. Jasmine Paolini holds eighth, continuing her impressive run of form from the clay season through Asia. Elena Rybakina slots in at ninth needing a few strong results to make the WTA Finals and Ekaterina Alexandrova breaks into the top ten for the first time in her career, rising to No. 10 due to Qinwen Zheng's injury.

This week’s standout story outside the top tier belongs to Laura Siegemund, who soars 18 places to No. 39 after a phenomenal run in Wuhan. The 37-year-old German rolled back the years with one of her best performances of the season, upsetting world number five Mirra Andreeva before falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion. Her crafty variety, net instincts, and ability to disrupt rhythm have made her a nightmare matchup for baseline-heavy opponents, and she has now backed up that Wimbledon quarterfinal she made earlier this year.

It was a tougher week for Xinyu Wang, who drops 25 places to No. 62 after a disappointing early exit on home soil. The 24-year-old Chinese player had reached the semifinals in Wuhan last year, and failing to defend those points due to a first round exit to Moyuka Uchijima caused her sharp drop in the rankings. Still, Wang has shown flashes of promise this season, and with several indoor events remaining, she’ll have opportunities to rebound before year’s end.

Elsewhere, Daria Kasatkina slips three places to No. 22 following ending her season early to have a break before 2026. The Russian’s counterpunching game remains dangerous, but she has struggled to string together consecutive wins in 2025.

With Wuhan wrapped up, attention now turns to the final events of the season and the race for the year-end WTA Finals. Gauff’s victory has secured her qualification, while Pegula’s semifinal run has also locked in her place in Riyadh. For the rest, having just a handful of tournaments left before the curtain closes on 2025, every match will carry added weight, particularly for those still chasing a coveted spot in the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh.