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Aryna Sabalenka secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career following Iga Swiatek's loss to Coco Gauff during the group stage of the WTA Finals 2024. She became the 16th woman to end the season atop the rankings. She was close to doing the same last year but was pipped to the post by the Pole, who won the year-end championships.
Ending the season as the top-ranked player is a huge achievement that signals a player's consistency throughout the season. Sabalenka certainly did that this year, having won the Australian Open and the US Open, along with WTA 1000 titles in Wuhan and Cincinnati.
Sabalenka joins the likes of Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and other legends by ending the season as the No. 1 player. However, not all greats of the sport had the honor of accomplishing this feat. On that note, here's a look at five well-known names who failed to end the season as the World No. 1:
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#5 - Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka became a household name with her maiden Major triumph at the US Open 2018, in which she defeated Serena Williams in the final. She backed up her win the following season with a victory at the Australian Open and ascended to the top of the rankings for the first time.
Osaka would remain on top for 21 weeks before being dislodged from the top spot by Ashleigh Barty in June 2019. She returned to the summit for another four-week stint after a gap of seven weeks. They were locked in a battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking at the WTA Finals, which was eventually retained by the Australian after winning the title.
That was Osaka's best shot to end the season as the top-ranked player as Barty's time at the top lasted until her retirement in 2022. Even though the Japanese added two more Major titles to her tally during this period, she never accumulated enough points to challenge her rival.
#4 - Amelie Mauresmo
Amelie Mauresmo's initial reign as the World No. 1 lasted only for five weeks from September to October 2004. However, after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, she returned to the top for a longer stay at the top.
Mauresmo was gunning to end the year atop the rankings as well and held the top spot heading into the WTA Finals in 2006. However, Justine Henin had closed the gap between them, and when the Belgian won the title, she denied the Frenchwoman a chance to end the season as the top-ranked player.
Mauresmo never regained the No. 1 ranking after that, nor did she match the highs from her 2006 season. She won only two more titles until her retirement in 2009 and finished her last three seasons on the tour ranked outside the top 10.
#3 - Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin were among the most consistent players in 2003 and won a total of 17 titles between them that year. The former secured nine titles from 15 finals, while the latter won eight titles from 11 finals.
Clijsters took over the No. 1 for the first time ranking from Serena Williams in August 2003 and remained on top for 10 weeks. Henin replaced her countrywoman at the top of the rankings after that, though her very first stint as the World No. 1 lasted for a solitary week.
Clijsters regained the ranking for the next two weeks and had a chance to wrap up the year-end No. 1 ranking at the WTA Finals. While she won the title, Henin's semifinal appearance was enough for her to edge her out as the year-end No. 1.
Clijsters would return to the top spot over the next few years, and even after she returned to the tour after her first retirement. However, she never got another crack at the year-end No. 1 ranking.
#2 - Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova's achievements include a career Grand Slam, an Olympic silver medal, and a total of 36 career titles. She attained the World No. 1 ranking in 2005, and held the top spot for a total of 21 weeks, with her most recent stint being in 2012.
However, Sharapova fell shy of securing the year-end No. 1 ranking in her career. A player of her caliber and achievements would've been expected to end the year atop the summit at some point but she was pipped to the post by her rivals quite often. She finished the year ranked No. 2 thrice, and No. 4 on another four occasions.
#1 - Venus Williams
Venus Williams became the World No. 1 for the first time in February 2002. She and Jennifer Capriati traded the top spot between them for the next few months, until Serena Williams claimed the No. 1 ranking in July, and retained it for over a year.
Williams's reign as the top-ranked player lasted for only 11 weeks, which is quite less for a player with seven Major titles, and 49 career titles. She was one win away from ending the season atop the rankings in 2017. She had a career renaissance that year and was the runner-up at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Williams, along with six other players, had a shot at securing the year-end No. 1 ranking at the WTA Finals. Had she won the tournament undefeated, then she would've claimed the year-end No. 1 ranking. She reached the final while losing one match during the group stage, and lost to Caroline Wozniacki in the summit clash. It would've been the perfect ending for her resurgence that year but it wasn't meant to be.
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