Iga Swiatek marks a significant milestone in her tennis career as she enters her 121st week as the World No. 1. The Polish star has been on an impressive journey since she first claimed the top spot in April 2022, and now she finds herself tied with Ashleigh Barty at the 7th position in terms of the most no. of weeks spent as the World No. 1 in WTA history.
Swiatek’s recent performances have been a mixed bag. She had a stellar run at the 2024 French Open, where she claimed her fourth title by defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in the final. This victory not only solidified her dominance on clay but also positioned her as one of the top contenders to break Chris Evert’s record of seven French Open titles. However, her journey took a downturn at Wimbledon, where she lost to Yulia Putintseva in the third round, and then at the US Open, where she lost to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.
This, however, didn’t affect her rankings as Swiatek is still firmly placed at the no. 1 position. However, talking about the all-time records, she has a long way to go before catching up with Monica Seles, who is sixth with 178 weeks as the World No. 1. Steffi Graf tops the list with 377 weeks, followed by the other legendary players Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Chris Evert, and Martina Hingis.
Swiatek’s reign at No. 1 has been nothing short of remarkable. The 23-year-old has won 4 Grand Slam titles and has maintained a significant lead over her rivals in the rankings. Despite a few setbacks, including a quarterfinal exit at the US Open, Swiatek has continued to dominate the women’s tour. She currently has a 2,169-point gap over World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.
It will be interesting to see if Iga Swiatek continues her ascent up the all-time rankings list. Getting past Seles will most likely be her next goal, but a grueling and demanding schedule might make it difficult for Swiatek to continue her reign at the top.
Swiatek focuses on recovery due to fatigue ahead of Korea Open
Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the upcoming Korea Open (WTA Seoul), scheduled for September 16-22 in Seoul, due to fatigue, according to the tournament organizers. The 23-year-old raised concerns about the grueling tennis schedule several times in the past and she eventually pulled out of Seoul, looking to keep herself fresh for the remainder of the season.
Swiatek’s decision comes on the heels of her quarterfinal defeat at the US Open. She had taken a step back from last month’s Canadian Open as well. Despite her dominance on clay, the Pole has found it challenging to maintain her form throughout the season. Not to forget her participation in the 2024 Summer Olympics this year, which further added to the hectic schedule.
But it’s not just Swaitek, the Korea Open will be missing a few more renowned faces, as Jessica Pegula has also pulled out due to a rib injury that she sustained during her US Open campaign. Alongside these two, the US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro also decided to skip the tournament, as she is looking to conserve energy for future events. Even the former Wimbledon champion and current World No. 4 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn due to a back injury.
While the absence of top players due to fatigue and injury certainly leaves a significant gap in the tournament’s lineup, fans will be hoping all these players make swift recoveries as there is still a bit of tennis to be played before the season concludes.
Coming back to Swiatek, as she takes some time off, it’s worth noting that she’s still at the top of her game, holding the number one spot in the WTA rankings. And if she doesn’t suffer burnout, it won’t be easy for Aryna Sabalenka and other rivals to displace her from the top.
