Iga Swiatek completes 1 year as World No. 1 in WTA rankings

Iga Swiatek has completed an entire year atop the WTA rankings, after having first earned the World No. 1 spot on April 4, 2022. Swiatek became only the ninth woman to hold onto the top spot in the rankings for a full year since the computerized ranking system was introduced in 1975.

Swiatek was crowned World No. 1 after Ashleigh Barty shockingly announced her retirement last year. The Polish star then dominated the tour for the remainder of the 2022 season, winning eight titles, including the French Open and the US Open, accumulating a 67-9 win-loss record by the end of the season.

With 8,975 ranking points to her name, the 21-year-old currently holds a lead of over 2,000 points over World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.

Swiatek was unable to defend her Miami Open title due to a rib injury she sustained at Indian Wells, where she lost to eventual champion Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. Swiatek will now face a tough task during the clay-court season in her bid to hold onto the No. 1 ranking.

The Pole went unbeaten on clay last season, winning all 16 matches and three tournaments she participated in, including the Italian Open and the French Open. Swiatek thus has a lot of points to defend on clay this year, with the challenge from the in-form Sabalenka looming large.

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Iga Swiatek returns to training after injury setback

Iga Swiatek competes during Indian Wells 2023.

Earlier this week, Iga Swiatek trained for the first time since withdrawing from the Miami Open and the Billie Jean King Cup due to a rib injury. Swiatek shared a picture of herself on an exercise cycle and signaled that she is set to make a comeback sooner rather than later.

"Back at it," Swiatek wrote on Twitter.

During her withdrawal announcement ahead of the Miami Open, Swiatek did not set a date for her comeback, saying that she would decide on her next tournament in due course only after receiving medical clearance.

"I will keep you updated about where I play next, because it depends on my process of recovering and the recommendation of my medical team. I have the best team behind me, we only need some time to deal with the injury," Swiatek said in a press conference.

Swiatek is the defending champion at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, which begins on April 17, and the World No. 1 could make her comeback there.