US Open Champ Aryna Sabalenka Eyes Year-End No. 1 Ranking

Aryna Sabalenka expressed on Tuesday that she aims to finish the year as the top-ranked player in the world. Currently ranked number two, Sabalenka is the top seed at the China Open this week following the withdrawal of Iga Swiatek, the defending champion and current world number one, who pulled out due to unspecified personal reasons.

After her victory at the US Open, Sabalenka is in a strong position to challenge for the top spot in the rankings with a win in Beijing. “Of course, finishing the season as world number one is one of my goals,” said Sabalenka, who also won the Australian Open earlier this year.

However, the 26-year-old Belarusian emphasized that her main focus remains on her game. “I’m not thinking too much about the ranking right now. There are only three tournaments left this season, and I’m concentrating on bringing my best tennis to the court. After the season, I’ll evaluate if it was enough to finish as number one or if I need to improve further,” she said.

Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, previously held the world number one spot last year before Swiatek overtook her. Reflecting on that achievement, she said, “Being called the best player in the world means everything. It shows that all the hours of training weren’t in vain.”

This week marks Sabalenka’s return to competition since defeating Jessica Pegula in the final of the US Open. She has received a first-round bye at the China Open.

The prestigious WTA 1000 hardcourt event in Beijing also features top players such as Jessica Pegula, fellow American Coco Gauff, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, and China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. The women’s tournament begins on Wednesday, running alongside a men’s ATP 500 event.