The battle for year-end WTA No. 1 is down to 2 gamers heading into subsequent week’s WTA Finals – Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, who’re at present No. 1 and No. 2 on the WTA rankings.
Sabalenka will go into Cancun with a 630-point lead, 8,425 to 7,795, however with the WTA Finals providing probably the most rating factors of any match on the calendar exterior of the Grand Slams – as much as 1,500 factors for an undefeated winne r- it’s not that a lot of a longshot for Swiatek to cross Sabalenka on the end line.
It’s nonetheless not going to be simple by any means, although.
At a minimal, Swiatek must both win the title OR attain the ultimate with a 3-Zero spherical robin report. And people minimal necessities enhance as Sabalenka retains successful.
Right here’s how Swiatek can cross Sabalenka, with the belief that Sabalenka performs all three of her spherical robin matches:
If Sabalenka goes 0-Three within the RR (spherical robin)…
… Swiatek wants to succeed in the ultimate with a 3-Zero RR report OR win the title (with any RR report).
If Sabalenka goes 1-2 within the RR and DOESN’T attain the ultimate…
… Swiatek must win the title with a minimum of a 1-2 RR report.
If Sabalenka goes 2-1 within the RR and DOESN’T attain the ultimate…
… Swiatek must win the title with a minimum of a 2-1 RR report.
If Sabalenka goes 3-Zero within the RR and DOESN’T attain the ultimate…
… Swiatek must win the title with a 3-Zero RR report.
Something apart from these eventualities means Sabalenka retains No. 1.
Technically, there’s a situation the place a Swiatek-Sabalenka last would decide No. 1, if Swiatek will get there with a 3-Zero spherical robin report and Sabalenka will get there with a 1-2 spherical robin report – however barring withdrawals and group reshuffling, these spherical robin information would see the 2 of them face off within the semifinals.
The factors breakdown for the WTA Finals is as follows: a participant earns 125 factors for each spherical robin match performed and one other 125 factors for each spherical robin win; in the event that they advance previous the spherical robin, a semifinal win earns 330 factors and a last win 420 factors.
So, a participant who wins the title undefeated will earn 1,500 factors (750 for going 3-Zero within the spherical robin, 330 for successful their semifinal and 420 for successful the ultimate). Solely the Grand Slams, the place the champion earns 2,000 factors, have extra factors up for grabs. –Tennis.com