Aryna Sabalenka will enter the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh as the World No. 1 player, but the way she got the spot was quite controversial.
The Belarusian player overtook Swiatek for the World No. 1 spot around the same time last year. In 2023, it was at the US Open, and she kept the rank until the WTA Finals when the Polish player took it away from her and ended the season as the World No. 1 player on the WTA Tour.
This year, Sabalenka will enter the year-end championships as the highest-ranked player again, and this time, she will try to keep that spot also throughout the tournament to end the year as the top player.
This year, her task will be easier than last year, as she's coming into the tournament with a bigger points gap. Last year, she had a 630-point lead over Swiatek, while this year, Sabalenka leads her by 1,046 points.
Her chances of finishing the season as the World No. 1 are high, and speaking during her press conference ahead of the 2024 WTA Finals, she admitted that it's one of her goals.
"I mean, yeah, that's definitely one of the goals. I always been saying that for me it's about to finish the year as world No. 1. That's definitely one of my goals. I'll do everything I can to finish the year as world No. 1."
Sabalenka was also asked whether she checked the ranking scenarios, which would allow her to finish the year as the World No. 1. She candidly responded that as an athlete, her goal is to win the tournament, and she doesn't want to focus on particular scenarios.
"No, anyway, anytime we come to the tournament, we want to win. That's the first goal. I'm trying to be focused on the first part. Then if I'll be able to finish the year as world No. 1, then it's amazing and I'll be super happy. But I prefer to focus step by step. Let's just start, like, slowly (smiling)."
While she might not end the year as the World No. 1, Sabalenka already started her second stint as the highest-ranked player on the WTA Tour, but the way it happened was quite controversial.
The Belarusian player overtook her rival because of points being stripped from both players. That was because of a penalty for not playing enough WTA 500 tournaments, which was quite controversial, given that these two players were among those who played the most matches this year.
Sabalenka also admitted that she had no clue that she would overtake Swiatek when she did. Ahead of the WTA Finals, she revealed that her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, broke the news to her.
"Yeah, I actually didn't know that's what's going to happen. I was like, How? What happened? Where she lost this hundred points or whenever? It's tricky. I didn't expect that. I just woke up another morning. My boyfriend actually told me like, Oh, congrats, you became world No. 1. I'm like, What?"
"I didn't know anything in that moment. Whatever, I'll take it. As I always say, I want to finish the year as world No. 1, then I'll be like okay, I'll be more confident on saying I'm world No. 1, not because someone lost hundred points and that's how I became world No. 1."
"I know throughout the year I was pushing, winning a lot. It's kind of not like I didn't do anything. I was quite good, quite decent this year. But still for me, for my crazy mind, it would be better to finish the year as world No. 1."