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Iga Swiatek to become No.1? Aryna Sabalenka’s China Open pullout spices up race
Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the China Open opens the door for Iga Swiatek to close the gap in the race for the WTA No.1 ranking. A strong run in Seoul and Beijing could bring Swiatek within striking distance of the top spot.
The battle for the women’s World No.1 ranking has taken a sudden twist after Aryna Sabalenka announced she would skip the 2025 China Open in Beijing. The Belarusian, currently holding the top spot with 11,225 points, said she is dealing with a minor injury she picked up at the US Open.
Missing this WTA 1000 event not only keeps her out of competition but also costs her 215 points, since she had reached the quarterfinals in Beijing last year.
I am sad to announce my withdrawal from the China Open this year after sustaining a small injury after the US Open. I am going to focus on being 100 per cent healthy for the rest of the year,” Sabalenka said in a statement provided by organisers.
This opens the door for Iga Swiatek, the current No.2 with 7,933 points, roughly 3,300 points behind in the official rankings. In the Race to Riyadh, which tracks results from 2025 alone, Swiatek is closer, trailing Sabalenka by about 2,077 points.
What’s the equation for Iga Swiatek?
Swiatek did not play in Beijing last year, meaning she has no points to defend. Every win in China will directly add to her total, giving her a real chance to narrow the gap. Sabalenka could face more pressure soon, as she is the defending champion at the Wuhan Open, where 1,000 points are at stake. Any slip there—through injury or loss—would boost Swiatek’s chances even further.
Currently, Swiatek is competing at the WTA 500 in Seoul. A title there would give her both momentum and 500 ranking points ahead of Beijing. A deep run in China afterward could bring her within striking distance of Sabalenka. Should Swiatek win both Seoul and Beijing, she could earn 1,500 points in total, leaving her only about 600 points behind Sabalenka for the season.
For now, Sabalenka still leads, but her absence from Beijing has reignited Swiatek’s hopes. The next few weeks may determine if the WTA will crown a new year-end No.1.
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Djokovic learns fate in new home as Sabalenka addresses behaviour
Express Sport brings you the latest tennis news from the Paris Masters.
We’re reaching the business end of the Paris Masters, as eight players become four in the French capital. Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favourite to lift the trophy after Carlos Alcaraz was dumped out by Cameron Norrie in the Spaniard’s opening match. Norrie was then beaten by Valentin Vacherot, whose amazing 10-match winning streak at Masters 1000 level came to an end when he lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Canadian star Auger-Aliassime will face Alexander Bublik in the semis. Bublik defeated Alex de Minaur, who is among those to have already qualified for the year-end ATP Finals. Sinner is through to his first Paris Masters semi-final after beating Ben Shelton. He’ll face defending champion Alexander Zverev, who survived a tough match against Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic is not involved in the Paris Masters, having decided to skip the event for the second year in a row, but he has learned his fate in the draw of next week’s ATP 250 in Athens. And over in Riyadh, the WTA Finals are about to get underway.
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