SWIATEK -SABALENKA- SWARMS* : TENNIS WTA

 

How Swiatek can pass Sabalenka for year-end No.1 at the WTA Finals. She has a 630-point gap to make-up, but at a tournament with up to 1,500 points up for grabs, it's definitely possible.

The battle for year-end WTA No.1 is down to two players heading into next week's WTA Finals. Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, who are currently No. 1 and No. 2 on the WTA rankings.

Sabalenka will go into Cancun with a 630-point lead, 8,425 to 7,705, but with the WTA Finals Offering the most ranking points of any tournament on the calendar outside of the Grand Slams - up to 1,500 for an undefeated winner it's not that much of a longshot for Swiatek to pass Sabalenka at the finish line.

It's still not going to be easy by any means, though.

At a minimum, Swiatek needs to either win the title OR reach the final with a 3-0 round robin record. And those minimum requirements increase as Sabalenka keeps winning.

The points breakdown for the WTA Finals is as follows :

A player earns 125 points for every round robin match played and another 125 points for every round robin win; if they advance past the round robin, a semi-final win earns 330 points and a final win 420 points.

So a player who wins the title undefeated will earn 1,500 points [ 750 for going 3-0 in the round robin, 330 for winning their semifinal and 420 for winning the final].

Only the Grand Slams, where the champion earns 2,000 points, have more points up for grabs. [Tennis.com]

The World Students Society thanks John Berkok.