How Aryna Sabalenka can overthrow Iga Swiatek as World No. 1 after Wimbledon

Aryna Sabalenka could become the new World No. 1 at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, but it will be very hard to overthrow Iga Swiatek, who currently sits on the throne.

Many tennis fans wondered if Sabalenka could make the leap after a fantastic start to 2023 with the title at the Australian Open, but Swiatek picked up the pace during the claycourt season.

This season, the Pole has won the trophy in Doha, Stuttgart, and Roland Garros, while playing in the finals of Dubai and Madrid. Swiatek is currently in the lead over the Belarusian by 874 ranking points (8,940 vs 8,066) in the live rankings.

There are, though, scenarios in which the 25-year-old from Minsk could overtake Swiatek after the 2023 Wimbledon, where nobody will defend any points due to last year's ban from the WTA.

Sabalenka lowered her chances significantly by losing in the second round of the WTA 500 tournament in Berlin.

Two tournaments are still left in the equation before Wimbledon. Swiatek is expected to appear at Bad Homburg (WTA 250), while Sabalenka is not signed up for Bad Homburg, nor Eastbourne (WTA 500).

Regardless of Iga Swiatek's result in Germany, one thing is clear: if she reaches the final of the third Major of the year, she will for sure remain the World No. 1.

Iga Swiatek will remaing World No. 1 after Wimbledon if:

• she wins Wimbledon
• she reaches the Wimbledon final
• she reaches Wimbledon semifinals, and Sabalenka doesn't win the title
• she reaches the final in Bad Homburg and reaches the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, and Sabalenka doesn't win the title
• Sabalenka is eliminated in the semifinals or earlier

Aryna Sabalenka will become the World No. 1 after Wimbledon if:

• she wins Wimbledon, and Swiatek doesn't reach the final
• she reaches Wimbledon final, and Swiatek doesn't reach the semifinals + doesn't get into the final of Bad Homburg

The Belarusian can improve her chances at Wimbledon, but she first needs to decide to play one of the two tournaments mentioned before the Major, and then ask for a wildcard.

---

Aryna Sabalenka hilariously responds to 'crazy' Vera Zvonareva trivia

Aryna Sabalenka at the 2023 French Open

Aryna Sabalenka recently defeated Vera Zvonareva, 6-3, 6-2, in the first round of the Berlin Open.

After beating the 38-year-old Russian, Sabalenka was told that she was five years old when Zvonareva clinched her first top 5 win in Berlin.

"I totally agree with you and that's crazy. Probably one day I'll also be a legend, losing to someone here and you'll remind me that I won my first match here when the girl was five years old," Sabalenka said after the match.

The Belarusian has now defeated Zvonareva three times in her career. The first win came in the second round of the 2018 US Open, 6-3, 7-6(7), and the second one came in the first round of the 2021 Madrid Open, 6-1, 6-2.

Zvonareva is currently ranked No. 1243 in the world and has played only eight matches in 2023, losing six of them.