Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka has reached a new milestone on the women’s professional circuit. Following her run to the semifinals at Wimbledon 2025, Sabalenka has broken the 12,000-point barrier in the WTA rankings – a mark no player had achieved since Serena Williams did it in 2015. With 12,420 points, her dominance as world No. 1 is undeniable.
This milestone not only solidifies her top position but also places her a staggering 4,751 points ahead of her closest competitor: Coco Gauff. The young American, who entered Wimbledon as world No. 2, suffered a shocking first-round exit and earned just 10 points, putting her in a precarious position for the remainder of the season.
Coco Gauff losing ground
At just 21 years old, Coco Gauff finds herself at a critical point in her career. After earning only 10 points at Wimbledon and losing the 240 points she was defending from last year, her total drops to 7,669 points. The pressure is on: she must defend 3,060 points in the remainder of the season – nearly 40% of her total.
Much of those points come from her impressive finish to 2024, which included titles in Beijing, the WTA Finals, and a semifinal run in Wuhan. However, any misstep could prove costly. Iga Swiatek, fresh off a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win over Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon, has climbed to No. 3 with 6,813 points and only needs to defend 830 points through the rest of the year. Gauff is at risk of not only losing her No. 2 spot but potentially dropping out of the Top 3 entirely if she doesn’t respond.
Sabalenka’s withdrawal opens the door for Gauff
Despite the tough outlook, Coco Gauff may have a golden opportunity. Aryna Sabalenka has announced she will skip the WTA 1000 Canadian Open due to fatigue. “I’m really looking forward to the hard court swing, but the best thing for my body right now is to take a break,” the world No. 1 explained in an official statement.
With Sabalenka out, Gauff and Swiatek will lead the field in Montreal. Although Gauff was upset last year by Diana Shnaider, her history in Canada isn’t all bad – she reached the quarterfinals in both 2022 and 2023. Plus, her early Wimbledon exit gives her more time to rest and prepare.
WTA rankings in flux
The race for world No. 1 has become a battle of strategy. Sabalenka has achieved what once seemed out of reach since the Serena Williams era, while Gauff must prove she can handle the pressure and remain among the elite. Meanwhile, Swiatek is quietly lurking with a favorable calendar and ruthless form.
What happens during the North American swing will be pivotal. With Montreal, Cincinnati, and the US Open on the horizon, the stakes are high. Sabalenka leads the pack – but the game is far from over.
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