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Although Aryna Sabalenka is officially the World No. 1 heading into the 2024 WTA Finals, Iga Swiatek has been billed as the top-ranked player at the year-end championships. The seeming oversight has drawn strong reactions from tennis fans.
Sabalenka narrowed her gap to Swiatek in the WTA rankings during the North American and Asian hard court swings, trailing by less than 70 points after her triumphs at the Cincinnati Open, US Open and Wuhan Open. However, both players experienced a slight drop in their rankings due to not competing in at least six WTA 500 tournaments this season.
The pair had to forfeit their lowest scores from tournaments that contributed to their rankings this season, with the Pole losing 120 points for her fourth-round finish at the Miami Open. In contrast, Aryna Sabalenka dropped 10 points for her second-round exit from the Dubai Tennis Championships, allowing her to surpass Swiatek and clinch the World No. 1 ranking for the second time in her career.
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Leading opposite groups in the WTA Finals draw, the duo is set to engage in a fiercely contested battle for year-end No. 1. However, in a controversial turn of events, Iga Swiatek was presented as the World No. 1 in Riyadh, with the tournament posters also featuring her as the top-ranked player.
One fan admitted that while the situation was amusing from an outsider's perspective, they could understand how frustrating it would be for Aryna Sabalenka and her supporters. Others humorously suggested that the mix-up was a sign that Swiatek would "steal" the World No. 1 ranking from the Belarusian once again.
"Im laughing but id be pissed af if i was aryna or an aryna fan lmao," one fan wrote.
"It’s literally screaming 'Iga stealing Aryna’s #1 spot second year in a row,'" another fan chimed in.
"They know how the tournament will end," said another.
Some fans speculated that the posters were likely printed months in advance, joking that the WTA had "no money" to produce new ones.
"They printed them 2 months ago and there was no money for new ones," one fan commented.
"The presentation was already done, WTA is not swimming in money to redo it. Kind of an odd start to the finals week overall," another fan wrote.
"The WTA is an incredible (dis) organization," said another.
Fans also contended that while Sabalenka officially held the World No. 1, Iga Swiatek was considered the leader of the tour, comparing the five-time Grand Slam champion's "aura" to that of Serena Williams.
"Aryna Sabalenka can be #1 formally for a while, but we all know who is the owner of this ranking spot. Just like grass is green, #1 is Iga's, she is the tennis ambassador, tennis' #1 in many aspects," one fan posted.
"Oh she’s never beating the leader of the tour allegations," another fan shared.
"Serena was No.1 even when she was No.10, the aura was undeniable," a fan remarked.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Iga Swiatek: Scenario for year-end World No. 1 ranking at WTA Finals 2024
The odds are heavily stacked against defending champion Iga Swiatek in her battle with Aryna Sabalenka for the year-end World No. 1 ranking at the 2024 WTA Finals. The Pole has been drawn in the Orange Group alongside Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova. Meanwhile, Sabalenka leads the Purple Group, which includes Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina and Zheng Qinwen.
The Belarusian holds her fate entirely in her hands, as she will secure year-end No. 1 if she simply wins all three of her group stage matches, even if Swiatek successfully defends her title in Riyadh.
Furthermore, Aryna Sabalenka will only require two match wins at the year-end championships if Iga Swiatek loses even one of her round-robin matches. Meanwhile, if Swiatek loses two matches in the group stage, the three-time Grand Slam champion can claim the year-end World No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career if she wins just one match during her campaign.
