Sabalenka Only Second In UTR Rankings Despite Australian Open Win

| by Nurein Ahmed

Aryna Sabalenka completed the first successful defense of the Australian Open women's tournament in 11 years but still occupied the second spot in the latest UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) rankings.

The UTR is a global rating system meant to assess tennis players' skill levels across all levels worldwide, regardless of their age, gender, or geography. It assigns a numerical rating between 1.00 and 16.50.

A player who is just getting started usually has a single-digit rating, with beginners normally given a 1.00 rating. At the same time, high-level professional players who compete on tour will have a double-digit rating.

UTR rankings are not affiliated with the official WTA rankings, nor is there any correlation between the two. However, the UTR gives the greatest weight to daily results, including the tournament, the competitiveness of the matches, and the quality of opponents.

Swiatek Enters Middle East Swing As World No. 1 Ahead Of Sabalenka In Latest WTA Rankings
Swiatek Enters Middle East Swing As World No. 1 Ahead Of Sabalenka In Latest WTA Rankings

The recently published UTR rankings have generated some surprises. Aryna Sabalenka only climbed two spots into second place with a rating of 12.92. The Belarusian captured the 2024 Australian Open in a grand manner, not relinquishing a single set during the fortnight.

Since 2000, only four other women have accomplished this feat in Melbourne. Because of such unerring dominance, one pundit pronounced that she is the modern-day Serena Williams.

Current World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has a higher UTR rating (13.22) than the rest of the women in the world. Coco Gauff, who was a semifinalist in Melbourne, ranked in third spot ahead of Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula.

Some of the most surprising inclusions in the Top 10 include Simona Halep, who has been suspended from competing professionally for a period of four years due to doping. The Romanian has a UTR rating of 12.80 and sits in 7th spot.

Madison Keys, meanwhile, is currently on an injury hiatus and hasn't played in 2024. The American has a UTR of 12.83 and came up in the sixth position.

16-year-old Mirra Andreeva is ranked in the 11th spot with a UTR rating of 12.69, ahead of established names like Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sakkari, and Ons Jabeur.

WTA Race Update: Sabalenka Remains Top But In-Form Ostapenko Motors Into Top Three
WTA Race Update: Sabalenka Remains Top But In-Form Ostapenko Motors Into Top Three

UTR Women's Rankings as of February 5th, 2024:

Rank Player UTR
1 Iga Swiatek 13.22
2 Aryna Sabalenka 12.97
3 Coco Gauff 12.95
4 Elena Rybakina 12.88
5 Jessica Pegula 12.86
6 Madison Keys 12.83
7 Simona Halep 12.80
8 Karolina Muchova 12.79
9 Elina Svitolina 12.71
10 Paula Badosa 12.69
11 Mirra Andreeva 12.69
12 Marketa Vondrousova 12.67
13 Zheng Qinwen 12.63
14 Victoria Azarenka 12.63
15 Liudmila Samsonova 12.61
16 Maria Sakkari 12.58
17 Jelena Ostapenko 12.58
18 Danielle Collins 12.56
19 Ons Jabeur 12.55
20 Leylah Fernandez 12.52
21 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 12.51
22 Barbora Krejcikova 12.50
23 Belinda Bencic 12.50
24 Beatriz Haddad Maia 12.50
25 Petra Kvitova 12.50
26 Marie Bouzkova 12.50
27 Laura Siegemund 12.45
28 Ekaterina Alexandrova 12.44
29 Emma Navarro 12.43
30 Amanda Anisimova 12.42
31 Sara Sorribes Tormo 12.42
32 Daria Kasatkina 12.42
33 Elise Mertens 12.41
34 Linda Noskova 12.41
35 Veronika Kudermetova 12.41
36 Sofia Kenin 12.40
37 Caroline Wozniacki 12.39
38 Anna Kalinskaya 12.37
39 Katie Boulter 12.35
40 Katerina Siniakova 12.34
41 Emma Raducanu 12.34
42 Petra Martic 12.33
43 Sloane Stephens 12.32
44 Marta Kostyuk 12.31
45 Clara Tauson 12.31
46 Clara Burel 12.30
47 Jennifer Brady 12.30
48 Lesia Tsurenko 12.29
49 Sorana Cirstea 12.29
50 Karolina Pliskova 12.29

Read the full article

Just in

Look at more articles