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The WTA calendar has ended for the 2024 season, with the 2024 WTA Finals winding up in Riyadh. Coco Gauff won the title, her third for the year, in a thrilling three-hour-long final over Zheng Qinwen.
However, the story of the season has been that of Aryna Sabalenka. The hard-hitting Belarusian finished the season on top of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career. She won four titles in the season, including the Australian Open and the US Open, along with titles in Cincinnati and Wuhan. She finished on 9416 points, over 1000 points ahead of second-placed Iga Swiatek who finished with 8370.
One of the best performers in the 2024 season was Zheng Qinwen of China. The Chinese player achieved a major milestone in her career by breaking into the top 5 of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career. Zheng reached six finals in the season, winning three titles, the biggest of which was winning the gold medal for her country at the Paris Olympics.
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She also reached the finals of the Australian Open and the Wuhan Open, only to lose to Aryna Sabalenka on both occasions. She finished with 5340 points and concluded the year as the World No. 5.
Two other players who finished the season with career-best rankings within the Top 10 were Jasmine Paolini and Emma Navarro. The Italian won only one title at the Dubai Tennis Championships, but reached the finals of the Italian Open and the Wimbledon, finishing as the World No. 4 with 5344 points, just four points ahead of fifth-placed Zheng.
Emma Navarro had a breakthrough season this year, winning her maiden title at the Hobart International. However, the American player had success at the Grand Slam stage, with a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon, followed by a semifinal run at the US Open. She finished with 3589 points as the World No. 8.
The rest of the top 10 included Elena Rybakina (6), Jessica Pegula (7), Daria Kasatkina (9), and Barbora Krejcikova (10).
The trio of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff continue to dominate the WTA rankings.
Just like in 2023, the trio of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff occupied the top three positions of the WTA rankings in 2024. The year saw a tense battle between the Pole and the Belarusian for the year-ending No. 1 ranking. Despite the former winning five titles in 2024, the latter's strong end to the year ensured her the No. 1 ranking.
On the other hand, Coco Gauff's middle part of the season was underwhelming. After making semifinal runs at the Australian Open and the French Open, the American's form fell off the cliff as she got knocked out of the fourth round of the Wimbledon and the US Open, the latter of which she was the defining champion.
However, Gauff made a remarkable comeback in the second half of the season, winning the China Open and the WTA Finals and holding on to her No. 3 ranking like the 2023 season.
The other notable omissions from the top 10 from the 2023 year-ending rankings are Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova, Karolina Muchova, and Maria Sakkari.
