Aryna Sabalenka Secures Year-End World No. 1 Ranking After Dominant 2025 Season

For the second year in a row, Aryna Sabalenka will end the season atop the WTA rankings.

The Belarusian tennis star, who started the year ranked as the world’s number one player, never relinquished that spot throughout the season, completing yet another dominant campaign in which she was clearly the standard of the WTA.

Sabalenka Secures Year-End World No. 1 Ranking

Near Misses at the Majors Before Redemption in New York

For the year, Sabalenka has gone a remarkable 59-11, winning four titles before competing at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, where she was awarded the year-end No. 1 trophy. And despite what the numbers and her ranking suggest — that it was a season in control — it was far from that until New York in September.

It was a year of many near misses for Sabalenka in the first half of the season, as she lost both the Australian Open and French Open finals in heartbreaking three-set matches to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff, respectively. Then, still searching for her first Major of the season, she lost yet another three-set epic at Wimbledon, this time in the semifinals to Amanda Anisimova.

At that stage, it was a realistic possibility that Sabalenka would start and end the year as the world No.1 but have no Major title to show for it. But that all changed after an inspiring tournament run in New York. Entering the US Open under pressure, Sabalenka produced a fortnight of tennis worthy of her ranking, culminating in a straight-sets victory over Anisimova in the final.

Chasing Records and Cementing Her Legacy

The way Sabalenka started the year, there was a real chance she could challenge Serena Williams’ record for the most WTA points accumulated at one time, but her close calls at the Majors and withdrawals from some tournaments due to fatigue made that impossible.

However, it is still very likely that she will end the season breaking one of Serena’s other records —the all-time prize money earned in a single season — by winning just one match in Riyadh. In this tournament, she is one of, if not the clear-cut, favorite to win the title.

Breaking this financial barrier and becoming only the seventh player in WTA history to stay on top of the rankings throughout an entire year has made 2025, despite some close losses and missed opportunities, a season to remember for Sabalenka. It was one where she once again proved she is better than the rest. Given her competitiveness, it’s certain this won’t be the last time we see her at the top.