Before the commencement of the Australian Open, Sabalenka faced the risk of losing her second-place ranking, although reaching the number-one spot seemed improbable. As the defending champion, she could only maintain the points earned from the previous year and was vulnerable to point deductions if unable to defend her title.
Securing a spot in the semi-final allowed Sabalenka to defend 780 of the 2000 points she earned in the prior year, a crucial move to safeguard her position. However, Coco Gauff’s impressive run to the semi-final earned her 540 points, closing the gap with Sabalenka. Gauff had the opportunity to surpass Sabalenka in the rankings by winning their match and advancing to the final.
Unfortunately for Gauff, Sabalenka emerged victorious in straight sets, solidifying her second-place ranking with 8205 points compared to Gauff’s 7200. Had Gauff won, she would have been at 7720, creating the potential for further gains if she had won the final. The outcome ensures that neither of the top three players will see changes in their rankings on Monday.
As Sabalenka heads into the final, a victory could narrow the gap between her and Iga Swiatek to 865 points, potentially influencing the rankings.
