Over the past decade, the women’s game has seen several players rise to World No. 1 — from Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber to Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty. But in the last three years, two names have reigned supreme: Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
Swiatek and Sabalenka present a sharp contrast in both playing style and personality on the women’s tour. Swiatek, 24, is introverted, methodical and remarkably consistent — traits that have made her dominant on clay and recently helped her capture a Wimbledon title on grass.
Sabalenka, 27, on the other hand, thrives on raw emotion and power, excelling on hard courts but often struggling to rein in her temperament during key moments on the court.
How much have they earned?
In terms of career prize money, Sabalenka has collected $34,797,811, while Swiatek has already surpassed her with $39,473,498, according to the official WTA website — despite being three years younger.
Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the Internazionali BNL D’Italia trophy next to runner-up Aryna Sabalenka after their final. (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
The difference can be traced back to Swiatek’s early dominance, winning big titles at a younger age, while Sabalenka’s breakthrough came later in her career. Swiatek also holds the edge in trophies, with 23 career titles (including six Grand Slams) compared to Sabalenka’s 20 (three Grand Slams).
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WTA Rankings: Swiatek and Gauff’s battle for World No. 2 continues in Cincinnati after Montreal setbacks
Their rivalry
Although in recent times there has been some rapprochement between them — with joint training sessions and even TikTok videos together — the reality is that Swiatek and Sabalenka are not among the closest players on the tour, which makes sense given their rivalry.
Since 2022, they have dominated women’s tennis, frequently trading places at the top of the world rankings. Currently, Sabalenka holds the No. 1 spot, while Swiatek sits at No. 3. In head-to-head matchups, however, Swiatek leads the rivalry with eight wins to Sabalenka’s five.
