The 2023 WTA season is underway, with Aryna Sabalenka leading the Race to the WTA Finals in Shenzhen. However, reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina is hot on her heels after claiming the Abu Dhabi title.
Sabalenka has enjoyed a blistering start to the year, winning the Adelaide International to surge ahead in the race rankings. The Belarusian’s 1,050 points have her positioned as the player to beat early on.
But Kazakhstan’s Rybakina has bridged the gap after triumphing at the Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open. Her 500 points earned sees Rybakina move into second place with 960 points.
The early battle for supremacy between the pair is proving exciting. Power hitters Sabalenka and Rybakina possess similar aggressive playing styles and will push each other all season.
World number one Iga Swiatek currently sits third in the race with 780 points. But the Pole suffered a shock second round loss in her season opener in Adelaide.
As defending Australian Open champion, Swiatek has minimal points to defend until the summer. She will be eager to get back to winning ways at the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne next week.
The Race is wide open, with several players possessing the game to make a run at the lucrative WTA Finals. Expect plenty of twists and turns as the contenders jostle for position over the coming months.
If Sabalenka and Rybakina maintain their stunning form, the fight for the final Shenzhen spots will be fiercely contested. Their developing rivalry is box office viewing for WTA fans.
