This year has been nothing short of magical for Aryna Sabalenka. With a couple of Grand Slams and WTA 1000 titles in her trophy cabinet, she has been the star of women’s tennis. Her consistent performance has led many to believe that she is a well-deserved candidate for the year-end world number one ranking.
Currently placed second, Sabalenka is narrowly trailing Iga Swiatek to the top spot, but that could all change at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The Belarusian player is backed by former US Open champion Andy Roddick to secure first place in the rankings.
Jon Wertheim, a prominent journalist, joined as a guest on Roddick’s podcast “Served” and discussed how Sabalenka has been able to excel amidst the struggles faced by her contemporaries. Wertheim also mentioned that Sabalenka has significantly improved her tennis skills and transformed into a completely different player compared to a year or two ago.
“I think some of this is just durability. It’s the middle of October, she’s still winning big titles. Some of it is being able to play, you know, win matches when she is not playing her best. Who would have thought a few years ago that she would be this beacon of stability. She does a lot of things right that maybe a few years ago were lacking,” said Wertheim.
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Agreeing with his guest, Roddick also highlighted Sabalenka’s recent transition from “very good” to “great.” He attributed this change to her consistent ‘mentality’ and ‘professionalism.’ Given Swiatek changing her coach, taking a break, and the uncertainty surrounding her future matches, Roddick believes Sabalenka might clinch the world number one ranking by year’s end.
Sabalenka vs Swiatek
Of the four titles the Belarusian won this year, two were Grand Slams — the Australian Open and the US Open — and the remaining were WTA 1000 tournaments — Cincinnati Masters and Wuhan Open.
Swiatek, on the other hand, is slightly ahead in this regard. The Polish star grabbed five titles, including her third successive Roland Garros trophy and four WTA 1000 titles in Qatar, Indian Wells, Madrid, and Italy, respectively.
The current world number two has earned a total of $8,694,260 in prize money against the world number one’s $7,515,693 earnings.
Sabalenka’s outgoing nature and demeanor have always allowed her to connect with people and build a fan base beyond her national boundaries. In contrast, Iga Swiatek, with her calm and reserved personality, has garnered attention primarily through her excellent on-court skills.
Both tennis players have made a name for themselves and are dominating women’s tennis at the moment, making it difficult to determine who deserves the number one spot more.
On the back of Sabalenka’s recent winning spree, it wouldn’t be surprising if she manages to surpass Swiatek for the top spot. On the other hand, the Polish star has not won a title since Roland Garros. Her ability to maintain the No.1 spot will depend on her performance in the remaining tournaments this year.
