After emerging from the Australian Open with a slim lead atop the PIF WTA rankings, Aryna Sabalenka strengthened her hold on the No. 1 spot during the post-Australia hard-court season.
Sabalenka increased her advantage over No. 2 Iga Swiatek over the last few weeks, thanks to a runner-up finish at the WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, followed by a run to the title at the WTA 1000 event in Miami.
Sabalenka’s new total of 32 weeks at No. 1 is the 16th-best total of all time.
Who moved up the WTA rankings since the Australian Open?
Barring something like another player winning the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, Sabalenka appears well-positioned to hold the No. 1 spot well into the 2025 calendar year.
Sabalenka is entrenched at No. 1, but who made big moves up and down the rankings during the post-Australia hard-court events? And who are the players most likely to rise and fall during the upcoming clay-court season?
Teen sensation Mirra Andreeva moved up eight spots after Australia to No. 7 on the strength of back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells. Belinda Bencic continued her rise back up the rankings after missing much of 2024 following the birth of her daughter, jumping 116 spots since Australia to No. 41
Who moved down?
Danielle Collins fell 10 spots after Australia to No. 22. Much of that slide was due to a round of 32 defeat in Miami, where she had won the title in 2024, and the resulting loss of ranking points. Anna Kalinskaya hasn’t won a match since the start of February and has dropped 15 spots from Australia to No. 33.
Who's about to rise?
No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and No. 32 Linda Noskova have relatively few points to defend in the coming months and could make quick moves up the rankings during the clay-court season. Anisimova could contend for a spot in the top 10 by the end of the spring. Noskova could move from outside the top 30 to the mid-teens with good results.
Who could fall?
We really aren’t trying to pick on Danielle Collins, but her slide down the rankings could continue. Collins is defending more than 1,000 ranking points during the clay court season. She might not be seeded for the French Open without strong results leading up to Roland Garros.
28 years ago this happened
This week in 1997, Martina Hingis became the youngest player ever – 16 years and 182 days - to rise to No. 1 in the WTA rankings. Hingis supplanted Steffi Graf at the No. 1 spot. Graf had just finished her 377th and final week at No. 1 – still the record for most total weeks atop the WTA rankings.