WTA lays down the law and Swiatek pays the price

The WTA has come down hard on the top pair of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, with the five-time Grand Slam champion Pole losing her No. 1 ranking on a disciplinary technicality.

Sabalenka, winner of the Australian and US Open this season, found herself Monday atop the rankings table for the second time in her career, with Swiatek demoted to second,

The swap came as a result of penalties laid down by the WTA to both women for failing to play the minimum number of events this season.

The number-crunching hit Swiatek harder than Sabalenka, with pure mathematics the determining factor.

Swiatek has not competed since losing a US Open quarter-final a month and a half ago as she took time off to sack her coach and reorganise her support team – reportedly under the advice of her mental trainer.

Sabalenka has played a relatively full schedule, winning Wuhan this month after lifting the New York Grand Slam trophy.

The pair were each penalised for not playing six WTA 500 tournaments in a season and will taste further deductions next week when the current Tokyo 500 event concludes

Sabalenka held the top spot for eight weeks a year ago; Swiatek has a total of 200 weeks at the summit since she first ascended in August, 2022.

Sabalenka currently holds a razor-thin 41-ranking point margin.

Main photo:- Disappointed Iga Swiatek press conference after quarter final US Open loss – International Sports Fotos Ltd