Aryna Sabalenka started her 50th week at the world No. 1 spot this Monday, which makes her the 14th woman in the Open Era to achieve the feat.
The Belarusian, who aimed for a maiden Grand Slam title and the top spot for years, achieved both of her biggest goals in a span of nine months in 2023, when she made it all the way at the Australian Open and reached the top of the rankings following the conclusion of that year's US Open.
In her first stint as the top-ranked player in the game, Sabalenka spent just eight weeks as Iga Swiatek managed to reclaim the top spot after impressively going 5-of-5 at the 2023 WTA Finals. However, just as it happened in 2023, the Belarusian replaced the Pole from the top after the 2024 US Open. But this time, the 27-year-old Belarusian has been firmly owning the top spot since and this week she pulled off a very special record.
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For Sabalenka, this a second big ranking feat achieved in the last couple of weeks. In mid-July, she became the first player since Serena Williams in 2015 to have more than 12,000 ranking points.
How far ahead if Sabalenka ahead of Coco Gauff and Swiatek?
Although Sabalenka will have 3,000 ranking points to defend across the next couple of weeks in Cincinnati and the US Open, she is still in a very strong position to be ranked at the top spot after the US Open since she is 4,751 points clear ahead of No. 2 Gauff and 5,607 points ahead of Swiatek, respectively.
In May, the Belarusian tennis star suggested that being the top-ranked player in the game helped her thrive.
"Knowing there is someone chasing me or having a target on my back right now, I love it. I take it as a challenge. Every time I go out there, I feel like 'OK, let's go'. Let's see who is ready for the pressure moments. It's actually helping me to stay in the moment and fight, no matter what, on the court," the world No. 1 said at the time.
