Iga Swiatek ties Simona Halep for the active WTA player with most weeks at No. 1

Iga Swiatek has tied Simona Halep for the active WTA player with most weeks as the World No. 1. Iga Swiatek’s World No. 1 ranking was recently under threat with World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka making a dominant display at the 2023 French Open.

Sabalenka started out as the No. 1 in the live rankings at the Parisian Slam, but her semifinal defeat and Swiatek’s subsequent victory in the penultimate stage ensured that the Pole will be holding her top spot after the event. Iga Swiatek went a step further and won her fourth Grand Slam title at the French Open, which in turn extended her time at the top of the leaderboard.

The 22-year-old debuted as the World No. 1 on April 4, 2022. She has held the top spot on the ranking chart ever since. On June 19, 2023, the Pole entered her 64th consecutive week as the World No. 1. Doing so, she has tied two-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 Simona Halep as the active WTA player with the most weeks at No. 1.

After Serena Williams’ retirement in 2022, Simona Halep became the women’s player with the most weeks as the World No. 1 with 64. However, with Iga Swiatek now tied and her lead of 928 points over World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, the Pole is on her way to surpass Halep’s feat come June 26.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is currently the 11th-best WTA player in history when it comes to the World No. 1 reign. She is seven weeks shy of booking the 10th spot on the list, with her next target being Caroline Wozniacki’s 71-week reign.

Steffi Graf (377 weeks), Martina Navratilova (332 weeks), Serena Williams (319 weeks), Christ Evert (260 weeks), and Martina Hingis (209 weeks) are placed in the top five spots.

---

Iga Swiatek's World No. 1 debut is the third-best of any WTA player in history

Swiatek with her 2023 French Open trophy

Iga Swiatek’s WTA dominance has been a treat for fans and experts alike. The Pole first made her mark on the tour in 2020 by lifting her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open. Despite her momentous achievement, however, the 22-year-old flew under the radar until her formidable 2022 campaign.

With a century-best 37-match winning streak on the WTA circuit in 2022, Iga Swiatek cemented herself as one of the sport’s all-time best. The US Open champion has since been enriching her resume and has added numerous other records to her name.

Swiatek, who is now in her 64th week running as the World No. 1, has also currently placed herself in the third spot, only behind tennis greats Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis, when it comes to the best World No. 1 debut.

Graf held the peak position for an outstanding 186 weeks on debut, whereas Hingis was ranked No. 1 for 80 weeks after first claiming the crown.