Iga Swiatek No 1, Coco Gauff top 3: WTA year-end top 10 predictions

Oli Dickson Jefford 30 Dec 2024 6:01 PM

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in 2024.

A fascinating 2024 WTA Tour season saw three women claim Grand Slam success – and a big change at the top of the WTA Rankings.

Aryna Sabalenka toppled Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings and, unlike in 2023, was able to seal the year-end No 1 position after a career-best season for the Belarusian.

With Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Coco Gauff all set to contend in 2025, we make our predictions for the year-end top 10.

10) Mirra Andreeva

One of the most talked-about rising stars on the WTA Tour, Andreeva finished 2024 as the world No 16 after starting the year just inside the top 50.

Aged only 17, the Russian has been on a huge upward trajectory for the best part of two seasons now and that seems unlikely to slow down in 2025.

It is unlikely to be a straightforward rise up the rankings, but she looks primed to crack the top 10 over the next 12 months.

9) Emma Navarro

Navarro was one of the surprise packages of 2024, winning her first WTA Tour title in Hobart before reaching the last eight of Wimbledon, and the semi-finals of the US Open.

Now, the world No 8 faces the challenge of maintaining her position towards the top of the WTA Tour, and it is a challenge she looks ready for.

The 23-year-old may still be a step off cracking the top five and potentially winning a major, but it feels like she has enough staying power to remain inside the top 10.

8) Diana Shnaider

Only Swiatek won more WTA singles titles than Shnaider in 2024, with the Russian matching world No 1 Sabalenka with four titles – having entered the season with no WTA crowns to her name.

Shnaider started the season as the world No 60 but ended the year 13th thanks to her fine form – and that came without a significant Grand Slam run.

The 20-year-old is certainly one to watch in 2025 and, if she continues her current momentum, should finish well inside the top 10 of the rankings.

7) Jasmine Paolini

Ranked 30th at the start of 2024, 28-year-old Paolini shocked the tennis world with her run to the WTA 1000 title in Dubai, followed by Grand Slam final showings at the French Open and Wimbledon.

The past 12 months have been extraordinary for the Italian and, considering what she was able to achieve this past season, it seems unlikely that she will quite be able to match that success.

However, she has looked assured and confident towards the top of the sport, and it is hard to see Paolini having too much of a sophomore slump come 2025.

6) Jessica Pegula

Pegula’s season ebbed and flowed significantly, with a tricky start to the season followed by the most seismic summer of her career – finally making a Grand Slam final at the US Open.

The American had injury issues throughout the season and withdrew from her opening event of this season, though 2024 proved that she can still produce strong performances despite a lack of match play.

With few points to defend across the first half of the season and experience towards the top, the world No 7 looks set to maintain her status as a top-10 mainstay.

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5) Zheng Qinwen

Another player who shot up the rankings in 2024, what can be expected of Olympic gold medallist Qinwen across 2025?

The Chinese has Australian Open final points to defend right off the bat, but then has plenty of room to make up ground before a busy second half of the season.

Qinwen looks comfortable towards the top of the game and, having picked up some significant wins in 2024, should have the confidence to maintain her status as a top five player.

4) Elena Rybakina

Despite a season plagued by injury and illness, a strong start to 2024 means Rybakina is still the world No 6 heading into the new year.

That does mean the Kazakh faces a bit of early pressure in terms of defending points, but she has plenty of room to make up ground at the Slams, and then across the second half of the year.

With a new coach in the form of Goran Ivanisevic and a (hopefully) healthier year in store, expect the Kazakh to move back towards the top in 2025.

3) Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka starts the new season as the world No 1, a position we predict she won’t still be holding onto by the end of 2025.

That does not mean she won’t have a successful year, with the Belarusian having proven herself to be a major factor at all four Grand Slams and across all four surfaces.

There is room for her to make up ranking points – particularly at Wimbledon – but with two Slams and two WTA 1000 titles to defend, it will be tough for her to remain top of the WTA Rankings.

2) Coco Gauff

Gauff’s 2024 season was not as underwhelming as some professed it to be, highlighted by the fact she starts the new year as the world No 3 following her WTA Finals triumph in November.

The American will have to defend her year-end championships and China Open titles at the latter end of the season but has plenty of room to earn points before that – notably at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Semi-final showings at the Australian Open and French Open also add a little rankings pressure, though there are plenty of chances for the 20-year-old to make up ground elsewhere.

With strong end-of-2024 momentum, Gauff is a major contender this season – and we think she will return to her high of world No 2.

1) Iga Swiatek

The start of 2025 won’t be easy for Swiatek, as she navigates life under new coach Wim Fissette and defends four WTA 1000 titles before she attempts to win a fifth Roland Garros crown.

However, she has won more singles titles than anyone in each of the past three seasons, has already spent 125 weeks as world No 1 – and has plenty of ranking points to gain in the second half of the year.

Improving Slam performances outside of Paris will be key to the Pole’s hopes of returning to No 1 but, with few points to defend, any strong run works to her advantage.

We think she’ll rise back to the top and end her third season as the year-end No 1.