Iga Świątek recently shared her thoughts on reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka by the end of the 2025 season. Currently, the Pole is competing in the Asian swing of the Tour and will next participate in the 2025 China Open, scheduled to be held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing from September 24 to October 6, 2025.
What Did Iga Świątek Say About Reclaiming World No. 1 From Aryna Sabalenka?
Before the start of her campaign at the 2025 China Open, during the pre-tournament press conference, Świątek, who is presently ranked World No. 2, was asked if the goal of returning to the top of the world rankings was on her mind while competing in Asia, as it has become increasingly attainable.
In response, Świątek admitted that reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking is always on her mind but clarified that it is not her “main focus.”
“I would say it’s always something to be, like, there in the back, but it’s not like it’s a main focus. I already know that thinking about the rankings, it’s not a way to go, no matter if you’re No. 2 or no matter if you’re No. 1. It’s just kind of numbers,” Świątek said.
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The six-time Grand Slam champion stated that her primary goal is to improve her performance on the court, which in turn will yield the results she desires. She also expressed that she is “happy” with being in a position to fight for the top ranking.
“But it doesn’t change the fact that you need to kind of feel the tennis and focus on the improvement on the court, then the results are going to come after that. So I’m not focusing on that. For sure it’s a different situation than last year when I wasn’t really able to defend my No. 1, like earn it. Yeah, so for sure I’m just happy that I’m here and I can compete and fight for it,” she added.
Leading up to the WTA 1000 hard court tournament in Beijing, Świątek participated in the 2025 Korea Open, where she defeated Sorana Cîrstea, Barbora Krejčíková, Maya Joint, and Ekaterina Alexandrova to win the tournament, securing her 25th career WTA Tour singles title.
Who Will Świątek Face at the 2025 China Open 2R?
Świątek is the top seed at the 2025 China Open. She will begin her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. In her opening match, she will face the winner of the first-round match between Yulia Putintseva and wild card Yuan Yue.
Świątek and Putintseva have faced each other five times on the WTA Tour, with the six-time Grand Slam champion winning four of those encounters. Their most recent match-up was in the third round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, which Putintseva won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
On the other hand, Świątek and Yue have never faced each other on the WTA Tour, so their potential second-round match at the China Open will mark the first time these two players compete against one another.
The winner of the second-round match between Świątek and either Putintseva or Yue will advance to face either 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya, Camila Osorio, or Ann Li in the third round.
