WTA Rankings: The 8 active women to be world No 1 – ft. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka
Becoming the world No 1 is one of the greatest accomplishments in tennis and, to date, only 29 women have been able to achieve that.
Here, we look at the eight past and present world No 1’s still competing on the WTA Tour.
8) Karolina Pliskova – 8 weeks
Starting this countdown is Czech star Pliskova, who was ranked as the world No 1 for eight weeks back in 2017.
Pliskova became the 23rd WTA world No 1 that July and reigned until early September when she was knocked off the top spot by Garbine Muguruza.
The Czech never returned to world No 1 though has won 17 WTA Tour singles titles and reached two Grand Slam finals across her career.
7) Venus Williams – 11 weeks
A tennis icon and winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles, Williams was the WTA world No 1 for 11 weeks in 2002.
Williams spent three weeks as world No 1 when she first rose to the top spot in February, though was quickly dislodged by Jennifer Capriati – the woman she had replaced.
The American duo jostled for the top ranking across that summer, with the seven-time major winner knocked off the top for the final time by her sister Serena in July.
6) Aryna Sabalenka – 12 weeks
Sitting on 12 weeks so far, reigning world No 1 Sabalenka has just moved above Williams to =23rd in the all-time standings.
The Belarusian first rose to world No 1 in September 2023 and remained there for eight weeks until being replaced by Iga Swiatek at the end of the season.
However, a dominant second half of 2024 saw the 26-year-old return to the top last month and, having secured the year-end No 1 ranking, will likely soar up the all-time statistics in the coming weeks.
5) Naomi Osaka – 25 weeks
One of the most influential and important figures of the modern game, four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka has spent 25 weeks as the WTA world No 1 to date.
The Japanese first rose to No 1 after winning her second straight major at the 2019 Australian Open and reigned for 21 consecutive weeks.
Osaka returned to the top spot for four more weeks later that summer after being dislodged by Ashleigh Barty, before losing the No 1 ranking to the Australian again that September.
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4) Victoria Azarenka – 51 weeks
Two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka spent almost a year as the world’s top-ranked player at the peak of her powers in 2012 and 2013.
The Belarusian became No 1 after winning her first Melbourne title in 2012 and, after losing the ranking to Maria Sharapova for four weeks, returned to the top following Wimbledon that season.
Azarenka finished 2012 as the year-end No 1 and reigned until February 2013, when she was replaced by Serena Williams.
3) Simona Halep – 64 weeks
Currently attempting a comeback from her controversial doping suspension, two-time major winner Halep spent an impressive 64 weeks as the world No 1 in her prime.
Halep first rose to world No 1 in October 2017 and reigned until January 2018, when she was knocked off by Caroline Wozniacki following her victory against the Romanian in an epic Australian Open final.
However, Halep returned to No 1 in February and would reign until again losing the No 1 ranking to Osaka following the 2019 Australian Open.
2) Caroline Wozniacki – 71 weeks
A gap of over seven years separated the first and last of Wozniacki’s 71 weeks as the world’s best player on the WTA Tour.
The Dane rose to No 1 in October 2010 and, after losing the ranking for one week in February 2011, then reigned again until January 2012.
Six years later, Wozniacki returned to the top spot after winning her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne and spent four more weeks as the world No 1.
1) Iga Swiatek – 125 weeks
Well ahead among active players, Swiatek’s 125 weeks as the WTA world No 1 place her seventh in the all-time standings.
The Pole first rose to world No 1 in April 2022 and dominated at the top for a lengthy period, reigning for 75 weeks before being replaced by Sabalenka.
After usurping the Belarusian at the end of 2023, Swiatek then spent another 50 weeks at the top before again being knocked off by incumbent Sabalenka.
