Swiatek solidifies her position at the top of WTA Rankings

Poland’s Iga Swiatek solidified her position as the world No. 1 in women’s tennis after clinching the Madrid Open title over the weekend. The 22-year-old now begins her 102nd week at the top of the rankings, boasting a comfortable lead of over 2,712 points ahead of second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, whom she defeated in the final.

Swiatek’s dominance is evident as she enjoys her largest lead over the second-ranked player in 14 months, marking a significant milestone in her career. The rest of the top 5 remains unchanged, with Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula holding onto their respective positions.

Meanwhile, Greece’s Maria Sakkari faced a setback, dropping two spots to No. 8 after failing to defend her semi-final points from last year’s tournament. This shift allowed Czech Marketa Vondrousova and China’s Qinwen Zheng to move up to No. 6 and No. 7, respectively. Ons Jabeur and Jelena Ostapenko maintained their spots in the top 10.

In other rankings news, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini achieved a new career-high at No. 12, while Madison Keys climbed four spots to No. 16 after her impressive performance in Madrid. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk also made a significant leap, entering the top 20 for the first time at No. 20.

Notable movements in the top 50 include Yulia Putintseva and Sara Sorribes Tormo, who both made significant gains after their performances in Madrid. Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle and Australia’s Daria Saville also saw notable improvements in their rankings.

Veterans Sara Errani and Alize Cornet had a good week as well, with Errani moving up to No. 93 and Cornet climbing to No. 99 as she prepares to retire at the end of this year’s French Open.