Iga Swiatek’s has joined an exclusive club among some of the biggest names in women’s tennis with her latest achievement.
The Polish star has been the dominant force in the sport in recent years, winning an incredible three consecutive French Open titles, and has now spent her 125th career week as world number one.
GettySwiatek has tasted glory four times in the last five years at Roland-Garros[/caption]
And while her accumulated time at the top of the WTA rankings is a staggering feat for a player still aged just 23, this is not even her most impressive milestone on this occasion.
Swiatek has now recorded her 50th consecutive week in number one spot, having previously held the position for 75 weeks.
In doing so, the five-time Grand Slam champion has become just the seventh player in WTA rankings history to record multiple 50-week stints as world number one.
She first climbed to the summit of women’s tennis in April 2022, and remained there until September 2023 when current world number two Aryna Sabalenka took over for eight weeks.
Swiatek then regained her position in November of the same year, and has stayed in top spot ever since.
With this week her 50th straight since her last takeover of the rankings table, the Olympic bronze medallist now sees herself join a stellar list who have also achieved the feat.
Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Serena Williams have all previously recorded multiple 50-week spells as world number one.
US tennis icon Williams was the last player to do so, first spending 57-weeks atop the WTA rankings between 2002 and 2003.
She then joined the legendary names above during her historic 186-week spell as number one, which lasted from February 2013 until September 2016, a record which is matched only Graf.
The German 22-time major winner is the only player to register three separate 50-week stints on top, doing so for a stunning total of 377 weeks between 1987 and 1997.
Swiatek joins an illustrious list which includes tennis icon Serena Williams with her latest achievementGetty
AFPThe Polish star may now be targeting Steffi Graf’s unprecedented three separate 50-week stints as world number one[/caption]
Despite her latest achievement however, Swiatek faces a battle to continue her dominance of the women’s game in the coming weeks.
Her closest challenger, Sabalenka, is now within touching distance of her ranking points total following victory at the recent Wuhan Open.
Sabalenka’s win at the WTA 1000 event means that her total of 9,716 points is now just 69 behind Swiatek’s 9,785, having trailed the Pole by 1,069 points prior to the start of the tournament.
This sets up a mouth-watering WTA Finals, where the year-end world number one spot will be decided in the Riyadh-based season finale in November.
US Open champion Sabalenka is hot on Swiatek’s heels to finish the year in top spot.Getty
Current US Open champion Sabalenka boasts a slight advantage over Swiatek here, as she is defending just 625 points having lost in the semi-finals of last year’s competition.
This means she will rise to top spot if she goes one step further than last year by reaching the final, or better still winning the entire tournament.
Meanwhile her rival heads into the season-ending decider as defending champion, therefore only a win will secure her status as world number one.
With both players holding the last two Grand Slam titles, following Swiatek’s fourth French Open victory in June, it promises to be a hugely competitive end to 2024.
