By the numbers: Dubai, Indian Wells kick off WTA 1000 season

The 2023 WTA 1000 season kicks off next week at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which begins on Sunday, Feb. 19, and continues into March at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. and the Miami Open.

WTA 1000 tournaments are the biggest regular season events on the WTA Tour, eclipsed only by the four Grand Slams. In 2022, the WTA 1000 circuit was comprised of eight events: Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto, Cincinnati and Guadalajara. 

Last year, WTA World No.1 Iga Swiatek won four WTA 1000 titles – Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome – while Ons Jabeur (Madrid), Simona Halep (Toronto), Caroline Garcia (Cincinnati) and Jessica Pegula (Guadalajara) picked up the remaining four.

Here are the notable numbers behind the WTA's most prestigious events:

2009: The WTA 1000 tournament level was originally introduced to the Tour in 2009 as Premier Mandatory and Premier 5 tournaments and later changed to WTA 1000 in 2021.

Doha and Dubai share the rights to host the WTA 1000-level tournament in February. Dubai hosted the respective tournament level for the first three years (2009-11) as Doha hosted the WTA Finals, leading to Doha hosting from 2012-14. Since 2015, Dubai (odd years) and Doha (even years) have alternated hosting the tournament.

900: While Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid (formerly Premier Mandatory events) award 1,000 ranking points to the champions, Dubai and the other tournaments within the WTA 1000 level award 900 ranking points to the title winner.
 
182: Former No.1 Victoria Azarenka has won 182 matches at the WTA 1000 level, trailing only Simona Halep (186) for most match wins at WTA 1000s.

2: Players to win four or more WTA 1000 titles in the same season. Serena Williams set the high mark by winning five in 2013. Iga Swiatek won four in 2022.

13: Serena Williams has won the most singles titles at WTA 1000 tournaments, followed by Victoria Azarenka (10).

8: Players who have won five or more WTA 1000 titles. Iga Swiatek is the most recent entrant in the club, joining Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep and Agnieszka Radwanska.

37: Serena Williams is the oldest WTA 1000 title winner at 37 years old (2019 Toronto).
 
90: Three players have made 90 or more appearances at WTA 1000 tournaments – Caroline Wozniacki (91), Petra Kvitova (96) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (99).

18: Belinda Bencic became the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 title when she lifted the trophy at 2015 Toronto at 18 years, 159 days old.

12: A qualifier has reached the semifinal at a WTA 1000 on 12 occasions. Last season, Caroline Garcia became the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 title (2022 Cincinnati).

8: A teenager has won a WTA 1000 title eight times. Bianca Andreescu (2), Victoria Azarenka, Belinda Bencic, Jelena Ostapenko, Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki (2) won titles as teens.
 
6: In doubles, Latisha Chan/Martina Hingis and Hsieh Su-Wei/Peng Shuai have both won a Tour-leading six team titles.
 
4: Times a player ranked outside the Top 50 has won a WTA 1000 title – No.80 Serena Williams (2011 Toronto), No.71 Camila Giorgi (2021 Montreal), No.60 Bianca Andreescu (2019 Indian Wells) and No.59 Victoria Azarenka (2020 Cincinnati (NYC)).
 
2: A wildcard has won the singles title at a WTA 1000 tournament twice– Maria Sharapova (2011 Cincinnati) and Bianca Andreescu (2019 Indian Wells).