Iga Swiatek is looking to defend her WTA Finals crown.
History suggests it won’t be easy.
Swiatek won the WTA Finals last year, defeating Jessica Pegula in straight sets[/caption]
Only seven women in the history of the season-ending championship tournament, have won it in back-to-back years.
The championship tournament, considered to be the most important tournament outside of the four majors, was founded in 1972.
There have been 52 Finals since (canceled in 2020 due to COVID), and only seven were able to defend their crown in consecutive years.
It is a list of who’s who amongst tennis greats.
Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Serena Williams.
Swiatek is looking to join the list.
It’s worth mentioning that Navratilova won an incredible five consecutive WTA Finals, while Seles and Williams were able to three-peat.
Swiatek has a bit of ways to go before she can even think about going for a third straight title.
First things first, she has to get number two.
And if she wants number two, the Polish-born star is going to have to earn it.
Swiatek will look to be the last woman standing amongst an incredibly stacked field.
There’s top seeded and current number one ranked player in the world, Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open and US Open titles.
Then there’s Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Jasmine Paolini, Jessica Pegula and Zheng Qinwen round out the field of eight.
As loaded as the tournament is, Swiatek is playing some of the best tennis of her career.
Currently ranked number two in the world, she coming off a year in which she won her third consecutive French Open.
If she is able to successfully defend her crown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Swiatek she will be walking away with record-setting prize money.
Swiatek would win no less than $4.45 million, and possibly take home as much as $5,155,000 if she finishes the tournament undefeated.
The previous record amount, was $4.42 million, given out to 2019 WTA Finals champion, Ashleigh Barty.
Not only will Swiatek have a chance at $5 million, she will also have a chance to dethrone Sabalenka as the number one player in the world, if she wins the tournament.
There is a lot on the line for Swiatek this weekend.
All she has to do is do something very few have ever done in her sport.
Good luck.
