When WTA releases its new ranking on April 4, women’s tennis will have its new No. 1. Poland’s Iga Swiatek will take over the top ranking, making her the first player from her country, both female and male, to hold that position. She will also become the youngest female player to hold the top spot since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. When she takes over as the new world’s No 1, the young Polish star will be only 20 years and 308 days old.
Barty’s Retirement Leaves No. 1 WTA Spot Vacant
Swiatek got to the top of the rankings in a rather unconventional way. Last week, the reigning No. 1, Ashleigh Barty, shocked the tennis community by announcing her retirement from the game, only two months after winning her third Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Before quitting the world of tennis, Barty sat atop the female WTA list for more than two years. Along with her withdrawal from the tournament circuit, she expressed the wish to be removed from the rankings.
This meant that the top spot was left vacant, opening the race for the highest WTA ranking wide open. At the moment of her retirement, the Australian held a huge lead over her peers with 7,980 points. The rest of the pack was more than 2,000 points behind, with several players separated by just a couple of hundred points.
Swiatek Produces Dominant Performances in Miami to Climb to the Top
However, the pole position in the chase for the No. 1 spot belonged to Iga Swiatek, who stood at 5776 points last week. All Swiatek had to do to claim her stake as the new World Number One, was to win her opening match in the Second Round of the Miami Open. And, she did so in a convincing way, beating Viktorija Golubic in straight sets.
