WTA RANKINGS: IGA SWIATEK EXTENDS LEAD, COCO GAUFF MISSES MILESTONE CHANCE, MADISON KEYS CLIMBS
After the 2024 Madrid Open, Iga Swiatek has extended her lead over Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA Rankings, while Coco Gauff missed has a chance to break new ground.
Swiatek has started her 102nd week as the world No 1, the ninth-highest total on the all-time WTA list. The 22-year-old Pole has edged closer to tennis legend Justine Henin, who spent 117 weeks on top and is above her in eighth place.
The four-time Grand Slam champion looks set to remain at the pinnacle of the WTA Rankings for the foreseeable future after her thrilling victory over Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final.
Swiatek, who now sits on 10,910 points, has stretched her advantage over her Belarusian rival to a significant 3,412 points.
Sabalenka has held onto her world No 2 position, but has seen her lead over third-ranked Gauff shortened to just 185 points. The 26-year-0ld has only 10 points to defend at the upcoming Italian Open, while Swiatek has 215, and Gauff has 65.
Gauff had the opportunity to overtake Sabalenka and reach a new career-high ranking of second spot, but she fell short after losing to fellow American Madison Keys in the last 16 in Madrid.
Keys has jumped four places from 20th to 16th after her run to the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 tournament, where she was beaten by Swiatek.
Elena Rybakina has remained in fourth position and moved onto 6,673 points after making the Madrid semi-finals. The Kazakh is defending 1000 points in Rome, where she triumphed last year.
Marketa Vondrousova and Qinwen Zheng have each climbed a place to sixth and seventh respectively, while Maria Sakkari has fallen two spots to No 8.
Jasmine Paolini has achieved a new career-best ranking by moving from 13th to 12th following her progress to the fourth round in the Spanish capital.
Marta Kostyuk is another player to reach a new career-high position after moving up one place to enter the top 20 of the WTA Rankings for the first time.
Veronika Kudermetova has dropped six places from 19th to 25th after losing her opening match in Madrid, having made the last four in 2023.
WTA Rankings Top 20
1. Iga Swiatek, Poland – 10,910
2. Aryna Sabalenka – 7,498
3. Coco Gauff, United States – 7,313
4. Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan – 6,673
5. Jessica Pegula, United States – 4,655
6. Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic – 4,090
7. Qinwen Zheng, China – 3,945
8. Maria Sakkari, Greece – 3,925
9. Ons Jabeur, Tunisia – 3,748
10. Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia – 3,493
11. Daria Kasatkina – 3,313
12. Jasmine Paolini, Italy – 3,048
13. Beatriz Haddad Maia, Brazil – 3,035
14. Karolina Muchova, Czech Republic – 2,930
15. Danielle Collins, United States – 2,759
16. Madison Keys, United States – 2,688
17. Liudmila Samsonova – 2,495
18. Ekaterina Alexandrova – 2,450
19. Elina Svitolina, Ukraine – 2,400
20. Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine – 2,235
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