Wins
against top-10 players always carry special significance, but some players have
made it a habit.
Iga Swiatek and
Aryna Sabalenka top the list of seven players
with the most wins over top-10 opponents, with a few surprising names included.
Without
notable players like
Elena Rybakina,
Jasmine Paolini, or
Jessica Pegula on the
list, only seven players achieved at least five wins against top-10
competitors. Here's a breakdown of those who secured the most victories against
elite rivals:
#5 (=) Victoria
Azarenka (5)
The former
World No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion hasn't been a regular
headline-maker in recent years but remains a consistent force within the top
25. Always a threat to the best, Azarenka finished the season with a 5-6 record
against the top 10.
Her wins
this year included victories over
Maria Sakkari (twice),
Jelena Ostapenko,
Zheng Qinwen, and Elena Rybakina. Azarenka wrapped up 2024 ranked World No. 20.
#5 (=) Marta
Kostyuk (5)
The
22-year-old Ukrainian had a stellar start to 2024, reaching her first Grand
Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open before falling to the fourth seed,
Coco Gauff. Her level remained solid throughout the season, boasting a 5-5
record against top-10 players.
Kostyuk's
wins included victories over Gauff,
Marketa Vondrousova, Maria Sakkari, Zheng
Qinwen, and Jessica Pegula. She reached two WTA 500 finals, a semifinal at
Indian Wells, and ended with an overall record of 33-19 (63%), ranked World No.
18.
#5 (=) Zheng
Qinwen (5)
One of the
standout performers of 2024, Zheng claimed the Olympic gold medal in Paris,
defeated Iga Swiatek on clay at Roland Garros, and ended the year as a top-5
player.
Despite
falling short in three finals (Australian Open, Wuhan Open, and the WTA
Finals), Zheng maintained remarkable consistency, tallying five wins against
top-10 players. Her victories included Swiatek, Vondrousova, Rybakina, and two
wins over Jasmine Paolini
#3 (=) Coco
Gauff (7)
Coco Gauff
had an up-and-down season but finished on a high note, winning the WTA Finals
title and ending the year ranked world No. 3, behind only Sabalenka and
Swiatek. The American recorded a positive 7-6 record against top-10 players.
Four of those wins came during her WTA Finals triumph (against Pegula, Swiatek,
Sabalenka, and Zheng). She also added a victory over the Chinese player in Rome
and two wins against
Ons Jabeur during the summer.
#3 (=) Anna
Kalinskaya (7)
The
26-year-old Russian player had a breakthrough season, climbing from world No.
80 to the top 15 with consistent results throughout the year. Kalinskaya
reached finals in Dubai and Berlin, made the Australian Open quarterfinals, and
finished the year with a 32-18 record. Against top-10 players, she excelled,
winning 7 out of 9 matches (77.8%). Her run to the Dubai final included
consecutive victories over Ostapenko, Gauff, and Swiatek. Later, she defeated
Ostapenko again, adding further wins against
Barbora Krejcikova, Marketa
Vondrousova, and Aryna Sabalenka.
#1 (=)
Aryna Sabalenka (11)
The
three-time Grand Slam champion concluded the year as world No. 1 after winning
titles at the Australian Open and US Open, as well as WTA 1000 titles in
Cincinnati and Wuhan. Sabalenka secured 11 wins against top-10 players while
losing only six times.
Her victories included beating Zheng four times this
season, Gauff twice, and adding triumphs over Pegula, Swiatek, Rybakina,
Ostapenko, and Paolini.
#1 (=) Iga
Swiatek (11)
For the
third consecutive year, Iga Swiatek had the best record against top-10 players,
with an 11-5 tally in 2024. The world No. 2 has won 44 out of 63 career matches
against top-10 opponents. The 23-year-old lost her No. 1 ranking late in the
season, though her year was undeniably successful, with four WTA 1000 titles
and her fourth French Open crown. However, a dip in results during the final
months allowed a resurgent Sabalenka to overtake her.
Swiatek
claimed two wins over Sabalenka in the Madrid and Rome finals, two against
Gauff, and another victory over Elena Rybakina in the Qatar Open final.
Additional wins came against Zheng, Sakkari, Vondrousova, Paolini, Collins, and
Kasatkina.