World No.1 Iga Swiatek will spend her 122nd week at World No.1 on the PIF WTA Rankings this week, moving past Ashleigh Barty to sit at No.7 on the Hologic WTA Tour’s all-time list.
Only six players have tallied more weeks as World No.1 than Swiatek:
Cumulative weeks at World No.1:
1. Stefanie Graf – 377 weeks
2. Martina Navratilova – 332 weeks
3. Serena Williams – 319 weeks
4. Chris Evert – 260 weeks
5. Martina Hingis – 209 weeks
6. Monica Seles – 178 weeks
7. Iga Swiatek – 122 weeks
Barty first ascended to World No.1 in June of 2019 after winning back-to-back tournaments at the French Open and Birmingham. The Australian held the top ranking for seven weeks before being overtaken by Naomi Osaka for four weeks. Barty retook the top ranking after the 2019 US Open and held it for 114 consecutive weeks until her abrupt retirement in April 2022.
Barty’s retirement made way for then-No.2 Swiatek, 19, to ascend to the top spot and make history as Poland’s first World No.1. She responded with a remarkable 2022 campaign, which saw her compile the longest win streak of the 21st century, winning 37 consecutive matches from Doha until Wimbledon and finishing as year-end No.1.
Swiatek held the top ranking for 75 consecutive weeks before relinquishing No.1 to Aryna Sabalenka after the 2023 US Open. Her 75-week streak is the third longest in tour history for a first-time World No.1, behind only Stefanie Graf (186) and Martina Hingis (80).
Swiatek mounted a furious challenge to retake the World No.1 and finish as year-end No.1 for the second straight season. She won her last 11 matches of the 2023 season, winning 22 of 23 sets to sweep titles at the China Open and WTA Finals. With the year-end No.1 ranking on the line in the final two matches of the year, she defeated Sabalenka in the WTA Finals semifinals and then locked up No.1 by beating Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the championship match.
Swiatek has held the No.1 ranking ever since, extending her active streak to 47 consecutive weeks.
More outstanding numbers behind Swiatek’s rise and reign at No.1:
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Since 2000, Swiatek (26) is one of only three players to claim 25 or more Top 10 wins while holding the No.1 ranking, along with Serena Williams (62) and Justine Henin (28).
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Among the 10 players to hold the No.1 ranking over the past 10 years, Swiatek (156) has recorded the most tour-level match wins, eclipsing Serena Williams’ 143 wins.
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With 21 consecutive wins between Madrid and Wimbledon this year, Swiatek became the first player to win more than 20 straight matches as World No.1 since Serena Williams (26, 2014-15).
- Since the start of the 2020 season, Swiatek (42) has recorded the most Top 10 wins of any player. She is one of only two players with 25 or more, along with Aryna Sabalenka.
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Among the 34 players with more than 20 matches vs. Top 10 opponents since 2020, Swiatek (72.4%, 42-16) is the only player to hold a winning percentage above 50%.
Source: https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4128144/swiatek-passes-barty-with-122-weeks-at-no-1-seventh-on-all-time-list
