WTA Race Update: Swiatek Replaces Sabalenka As Race Leader Thanks To Indian Wells Win

Iga Swiatek has risen to the top of the WTA Race after another dominant title win in Indian Wells.

Swiatek, who briefly led this year's race after the opening week of the season, won her second title at the desert without dropping a set. Having sealed the World No. 1 ranking for the spring hard-court swing and inching closer to the 100-week mark, the Pole has now taken control of the race.

The WTA Race will determine the eight qualifying players for the 2024 WTA Finals, which reports suggest will be held in Saudi Arabia for the very first time. However, it will also serve as an indicator of which player will finish the season as the year-end no. 1.

Swiatek has been fortunate enough to top the standings in each of the last two years and is the favorite to do so for the third time - potentially emulating the retired Ashleigh Barty, who is the last woman to do so.

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After an underwhelming Australian Open campaign, Swiatek had a lot of ground to make up. But if there was one player capable of streaking in a very short time, it had to be her. With her victory in Indian Wells, she became the third woman to win two titles in 2024.

Swiatek replaces Aryna Sabalenka at the top. The Belarusian had led this race since winning the Australian Open in January. She will have to settle for second place for now. Elena Rybakina remained in third after withdrawing from Indian Wells.

Qinwen Zheng is fourth, ahead of Coco Gauff. Jelena Ostapenko, one of three double champions in 2024, is sixth. Dubai winner Jasmine Paolini is seventh. Marta Kostyuk, who was a semifinalist at WTA 1000 for the first time in California, is in the coveted eighth spot.

Resurgent Russians Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova complete the Top 10. In-form Emma Navarro is 11th and now the second-best American in the WTA Race. Indian Wells finalist Maria Sakkari soared 27 spots to rank 14th.

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2024 WTA Race as of March 18, 2024: