Coco Gauff entered the 2024 Wimbledon Championships as the number two player in the world, and she's guaranteed to keep it after Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the event.
The American recently overtook Sabalenka as the second-best-ranked player on the WTA Tour, and it was a great moment for the American, who is now only one spot away from becoming world number one.
It's always been a dream of hers, and when she became the world's number one in doubles, Gauff admitted that being number one in singles is a true dream. It's not going to happen anytime soon because she's trailing Iga Swiatek by over 3000 points, though she can reduce that difference with a strong run at Wimbledon.
Her run last year ended in the first round, which means she can earn a lot of points with a good run this year. Even without a good run, the 20-year-old is guaranteed to hold on to her number two rank ahead of Sabalenka, as the Belarusian withdrew from Wimbledon due to an injury.
Due to the withdrawal, Sabalenka is set to lose 780 points, putting her total at about 7,061 points, while Gauff, with her first-round win, already improved to 8,003 points, which is 407 more than what could fourth Elena Rybakina earn with a title run (7,596).
Still, the American has it in her hands at the moment, and if she goes far at the tournament, she could put quite a bit of distance between her and Sabalenka and catch up to the first Swiatek.
A good run by Gauff possibly ensures her the number two rank through the summer all the way to the US Open, despite defending plenty of points along the way, where she will defend the biggest part of her points, 2,000, which are awarded for winning a major tournament.