
Aryna Sabalenka clinched the year-end No. 1 spot in the women's rankings for the first time when Iga Swiatek lost at the WTA Finals on Tuesday. Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, was assured of finishing 2024 atop the WTA without swinging her racket on Tuesday, thanks to Swiatek's 6-3, 6-4 setback against Coco Gauff at the season-ending tournament in Saudi Arabia. A year ago, Sabalenka briefly overtook Swiatek in the rankings in September to get to No. 1 for the first time, but relinquished the top spot when Swiatek won the WTA Finals.