Swiatek finishes year on top of WTA ranking despite Finals disappointment
Swiatek’s remarkable season included eight singles titles and a run of 37 straight match victories.
Published : Nov 08, 2022 17:05 IST
Iga Swiatek ended her year with a loss to Aryna Sabalenka in WTA Finals. | Photo Credit: AFP
Poland’s Iga Swiatek may have failed to add the WTA Finals title to her French and US Open crowns but finishes the year a dominant number one in the women’s tennis rankings.
The 21-year-old extended her points advantage over World No. 2 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia despite losing to big-serving Belarus Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Texas last week.
It is the first time Swiatek has finished on top of the year end rankings.
Swiatek’s remarkable season included eight singles titles and a run of 37 straight match victories. Sabalenka ended her 15-match winning streak against top 10 players.
Swiatek’s path to the top was eased by the shock retirement in March of Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, who finished number one from 2019-2021.
Sabalenka lost in the final to France’s Caroline Garcia -- who became the second French woman to win the title following Amelie Mauresmo in 2005.
Both finalists in the WTA season-ender in Texas on Monday rose two places -- Garcia to fourth and Sabalenka to fifth.