As the last tranche of group-stage matches at the WTA Finals Cancun get under way, the battle for the year-end No.1 ranking between Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek is coming into clearer focus.
At the start of Day 6, Sabalenka and Swiatek both have one round-robin match to complete. Sabalenka leads Elena Rybakina 6-2, 3-5 in a rain-delayed Bacalar Group match. The winner will advance to the semifinals in second place with a 2-1 record, and will play the Chetumal Group winner. The loser will be eliminated with a 1-2 record.
Swiatek faces Ons Jabeur in her last round-robin match. She has not yet sealed a semifinal place; all Chetumal Group positions are in play on Friday. A victory for Swiatek would mean she tops the group and advances to the semifinals, where she would play the winner between Sabalenka and Rybakina. If Swiatek loses, she could mathematically top the group, come second or be eliminated depending on the result of Coco Gauff's match with Marketa Vondrousova.
The bottom line: If Sabalenka reaches the final, she will lock up the year-end No.1. If Sabalenka is eliminated before the final, Swiatek needs to win the title to pass her and end the year on top.
