This is how the fight for the number 1 spot at the end of the season looks like in the WTA ranking

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 10 Sep 2024 | 08.56

Fight for the number 1 between Sabalenka and Swiatek. Photo: gettyimages

* You can watch and bet on this match live here..

Throughout the year, Iga Swiatek has been the undisputed number 1 in the WTA ranking, but she faces an uncertain end to the season in her goal to maintain that position as Aryna Sabalenka has come very close. We reveal what could happen in a showdown that brings great benefits to women's tennis.

An intense battle with an unpredictable outcome and guaranteed spectacle is what we will witness in women's tennis during the last months of the season. Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will push their chances to finish 2024 at the top of the WTA ranking, as the difference between them has significantly narrowed in the WTA Race and the Polish player has many more points to defend.

Two WTA 1000 tournaments are yet to be played, namely in Beijing and Wuhan, and a WTA 500 event where the best players in the world are expected to participate, such as the one in Tokyo, although they could also feature in the WTA 500 tournaments in Korea and Ningbo. In essence, many points to be earned before the WTA Finals 2024 take place from November 2 to 9, with this tournament potentially determining who eventually finishes the year as number 1.

- Swiatek and Sabalenka will battle for supremacy in the WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan, in the WTA 500 in Tokyo, and at the WTA Finals 2024

It wouldn't be surprising to see great parity until the last moment as the gap between Swiatek and Sabalenka in the WTA Race is only 409 points. This ranking best reflects the fight for number 1, as in the WTA ranking, the gap is much wider due to the many points the Polish player has to defend. According to the WTA Race, any misstep from either the Polish or the Belarusian could prove costly.

The Asian swing has historically favored Aryna Sabalenka, who arrives full of confidence after her achievements in New York. However, Iga Swiatek showed last year that she can end the season in great form, capturing titles in Beijing and the WTA Finals which gave her a substantial advantage. The possibility of another player intervening in this rivalry is nil, given the significant difference compared to Rybakina, Paolini, Pegula, or Gauff.