Barty retires, who will become the new world number one?

World tennis suffered a big shock today. The winner of 3 Grand Slams and current world number one, Ashleigh Barty, has announced the end of her career. The Australian is retiring from tennis at just 25 years old, at the peak of her career. This opens up the opportunity for all elite players, the women’s tennis throne is now vacant. Who will become the new world number one?

Thebiggest favourite is Swiatek

the 20-year-old Pole is enjoying a very successful period in her career. The talented Swiatek is pulling a string of 11 wins in a row, thanks to her great form she has dominated tournaments in Doha and Indian Wells. These great triumphs have sent her up to #2 in the rankings, a career high. With Barty’s departure, it is clear that moving up to No. 1 is definitely an achievable ambition.

The Pole’s gap to Barty is admittedly large (her deficit is 1269 points). During the clay court season, the Pole has a pretty solid chance to leapfrog the retiring Australian. Clay is her favourite surface, she will also be one of the biggest favourites for the 2022 French Open.

Swiatek’s position is also very good in terms of her closest competition. At 3. Krejcikova has a lead of less than 700 points, the other players are already quite a big gap. It seems that it is only a matter of time before this Pole becomes the new world number one.

Will the Czechs also join this duel?

Two Czech players – Barbora Krejcikova and Karolina Pliskova – can join the fight for the new world number one. The last time Czech tennis had a singles world number one was in 2017, and that success was achieved by Karolina Pliskova. However, her reign lasted only 3 months. Is it realistic for women’s tennis to be ruled by a Czech again? Not very likely, certainly not now.

Krejcikova has a better chance to attack the tennis throne, she is ranked 3rd in the rankings. Her gap to Swiatek or Barty is not too big. However, the Czech number one is facing a tough defence (the title from Strasbourg and especially from the French Open). In the next months she will defend over 3000 points and that is a really big portion. It will be a success if she can stay in similar positions to where she is now.

Pliskova is a similar case. The two-time Grand Slam finalist defends finals in Rome, Wimbledon or Cincinnati. Moreover, she is only ranked 8th in the rankings, she is coming back from a serious injury and clay is not her favourite surface. If she is still in the top 10 after Wimbledon, she can be satisfied with her position. An attack on the top positions is not very realistic, but anything can happen.

Which other players can attack Swiatek’s position?

The women’s tennis top is extremely balanced, from the top 10 almost anyone can attack the absolute top. The trio of Badosa, Sakkari and Kontaveit has the best chances of achieving this feat.

All players are in great form, playing the best tennis of their lives. Although they are over 1000 points behind #2 Swiatek, a possible success at the French Open could catapult them to uncharted heights. Women’s tennis is looking for its new queen, which tennis player will become the new queen?

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