Tennis Players with the most weeks as World No. 1 on the WTA Tour
This is the list of singles players who spent most number of weeks as World No.1 in WTA history.
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Players who spent most number of weeks as World No.1 in the WTA rankings
A WTA Ranking is given to every female professional singles and doubles player. Rankings are the strongest indicator of a player’s current form and on-field abilities. The WTA rankings are determined using a cumulative, rolling 52-week formula. A player’s ranking is based on her performances in a maximum of 16 singles events and 11 doubles tournaments. Points are given according to how far a player advances in a competition.
The WTA and Grand Slam tournament qualifying and entry requirements are also determined by this ranking system. Also, knowing a player’s seed before a competition starts is helpful.
Maintaining consistency can be extremely difficult, and it might even become impossible when new players infrequently enter the scene. Yet, a player’s skill level can be gauged by how long he can hold the top spot. Since the WTA rankings were launched in 1975, being ranked No. 1 has acquired the same prestige as winning a Grand Slam championship.
The top female singles players who held the World No. 1 ranking for the most weeks are listed below.
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5. Martina Hingis (209 weeks)
Martina Hingis is considered one of the few female tennis players who has won multiple Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles disciplines. She shocked the world by winning the Australian Open ladies singles title aged 16 in 1997. Following this victory, in March 1997, she rose to No.1 rank. She held that position for 80 consecutive weeks. She spent a total of 209 weeks at this position in her career.
The Swiss won 5 Grand Slam singles titles in her career. She is an inspiration for millions of young girls and women who want to make their career in sport.
4. Chris Evert (260 weeks)
Chris Evert is the first female player to rise to No.1 spot in the WTA rankings. She won 18 Grand Slam titles in her long and illustrious career. She became World No.1 for the first time in November 1975. She spent a total of 260 weeks at this position in her career.
The American has the second-highest career winning percentage in the history of the sport, i.e. 89.7% in the Open Era, both men, and women compared. She was given the sobriquet “Ice Maiden” for her unperturbed and cool demeanor.
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3. Serena Williams (319 weeks)
Serena Williams is considered one of the greatest women to have played this sport. She won 23 Grand Slam titles in her long and incredible career. She became World No.1 in the WTA rankings for the first time in July, 2002, aged 20 years. She held that position for 57 consecutive weeks.
Soon, she became World No.1 again and with 186 weeks on top of the leaderboard. She with Steffi Graf, holds the record for longest streak as World No.1. She spent a total of 319 weeks at this position in her career.
2. Martina Navratilova (332 weeks)
Martina Navratilova along with her greatest rival Chris Evert dominated women’s tennis in the 1970s and 1980s. She won 18 Grand Slam titles in her magnificent career. She had to struggle hard to wrest the World No.1 crown from Chris Evert; however, she eventually became World No.1 for the first time in July 1978. She spent a total of 332 weeks at this position in her career.
The Czech-born American, however, has won Grand Slam tournaments on every surface. However, she loved to play on grass. She won 9 Wimbledon titles in her career and is also known as ”The Wimbledon Queen”.
1. Steffi Graf (337 weeks)
Steffi Graf held the record for most weeks as World No.1 in either WTA or ATP rankings for a long time. However, recently her record was broken by Novak Djokovic. But this does not dent her sparkling accomplishments a bit. She has got 22 Grand Slam singles titles to her name. She became World No.1 for the first time in August, 1987.
The German also holds the record for longest streak as World No.1, which she shares with Serena Williams. She spent a total of 337 weeks at this position in her career. She in 1988, became the first singles tennis player to complete a Golden Slam, i.e., winning all four major singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. She is also known as “Fraulein forehand“.
Article by: Abhar Indorkar
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List of Players with most weeks as World No. 1 on the ATP Tour
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Sarthak Shitole
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