The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has stripped ranking points from several top players, including Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, for failing to meet mandatory tournament participation requirements. Players must compete in at least six WTA 500 events annually, but neither Swiatek nor Sabalenka has reached that threshold in 2025.
Other affected players include Australian Open champion Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, and Amanda Anisimova. The punishment, known as 'zeroing out', removes ranking points earned from other tournaments. As of Monday, October 20, Sabalenka, Gauff, and Anisimova lost 10 points each, while Keys lost 54 and Swiatek lost 65 points.
This is not the first time Swiatek has faced such a penalty; last year, a similar deduction cost her the world No.1 ranking. This time, the deductions have not altered the current rankings, but further penalties are expected next week as players have only participated in three or four WTA 500 events this season.
The Ningbo Open was the penultimate WTA 500 event, but none of the five players entered. Swiatek has previously spoken out about the demanding calendar, prioritising fitness and mental health over compliance. She said, 'I don't think any top player will actually be able to achieve this... It's just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule.'
