Iga Świątek continues to write tennis history. The Polish champion just completed 120 weeks as world number 1 and is about to become the seventh player with most weeks on top of the WTA charts.
Świątek started her 2024 season by representing Team Poland at the United Cup, winning all her singles matches and receiving the MVP award. She reached the third round of the Australian Open but was upset by Linda Nosková, ending her 18-match winning streak. In February, she defended her title at the Qatar Ladies Open, winning her seventh WTA 1000 title. She also became the first player to win three consecutive titles in Doha since Serena Williams in 2015. The Pole then reached the semifinals at the Dubai tournament but lost to Anna Kalinskaya.
In March, she won the Indian Wells Open for the second time, marking her 19th career title. In April, she reached the Stuttgart Open semifinals but lost to Elena Rybakina. At the Madrid Open, she won a three-hour final against Aryna Sabalenka for her 20th career title.
In May, she won the Italian Open, surpassing Agnieszka Radwańska as Poland’s most successful tennis player with 21 titles. Świątek also completed the Madrid-Rome sweep, joining Serena Williams and Dinara Safina in this achievement. She won the 2024 French Open, her third consecutive title at Roland Garros, and maintained a 19-match winning streak on clay.
At Wimbledon, her streak ended with a third-round loss to Yulia Putintseva. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, she earned a bronze medal, becoming Poland’s first Olympic medalist in tennis. She reached the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open and the quarterfinals at the US Open but lost to Jessica Pegula.
Such a successful season allowed Iga to qualify once more to the WTA Finals. It also led the Varsovian to become the member of an elite club of legends in women’s tennis who reached over 120 weeks as world number 1, along with Steffi Graff (377), Martina Navratilopva (332), Serena Williams (319), Chris Evert (260), Martina Hingis (209), Monica Seles (178), and Ashleigh Barty (121).
Image: X (@iga_swiatek)
Author: Sébastien Meuwissen
