The 2025 French Open concluded with a seismic shift in women’s tennis, as Coco Gauff claimed her maiden Roland Garros title, defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 final. The tournament, marked by dramatic upsets and fierce battles on the Parisian clay, has reshaped the WTA top 10 rankings, with Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, facing a significant drop to No. 7—her lowest position since March 2022. “It is the blockbuster of the entire tournament on the women’s side,” former player Andrea Petkovic said of the Swiatek-Sabalenka semifinal, a clash that epitomized the fierce competition that redefined the hierarchy.
Aryna Sabalenka, despite her defeat to Gauff, retains her stranglehold on the No. 1 spot with 11,537 points, her commanding performances throughout the season—including a Madrid title and deep runs in three Grand Slams—ensuring her dominance. “I’m going to play with my power, because this is something where I feel the most comfortable,” Sabalenka declared during the tournament, showcasing the relentless aggression that carried her to her first Roland Garros final. Her 40th main-draw win of the year against Swiatek in the semifinals, a 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 rout, snapped the Pole’s 26-match Paris winning streak, underscoring Sabalenka’s ability to challenge even the clay-court elite.
Coco Gauff, now at a career-high No. 2 with 8,067 points, was the tournament’s standout, her victory cementing her as a multi-surface Grand Slam champion at just 21. Her ability to adapt to the windy conditions in Geneva proved decisive, as she reflected: “It was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed.” Gauff’s rise comes at the expense of Swiatek, whom she thrashed 6-1, 6-1 in Madrid earlier this year, a result that foreshadowed her ascent. Her 530-point gain in Paris has solidified her position, with a potential overtake of Sabalenka looming if she sustains her form.
Jessica Pegula holds steady at No. 3 with 6,467 points, her consistency across surfaces keeping her in the top tier despite a third-round exit to Mirra Andreeva. Jasmine Paolini, the 2024 finalist, remains at No. 4 with 4,789 points, her Italian Open title bolstering her ranking despite a fourth-round loss to Sabalenka. “It’s something unbelievable and something I’m super proud of,” Sabalenka said of her clay-court progress, a sentiment Paolini could echo for her own breakthrough season.
China’s Qinwen Zheng leaps two spots to No. 5 with 4,652 points, her quarterfinal run in Paris—highlighted by a win over Swiatek at the 2024 Olympics—propelling her past Andreeva and Swiatek. Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, at No. 6 with 4,620 points, continues her meteoric rise, her semifinal appearance at 18 signaling a bright future. “I feel like on this court and overall, like, Roland Garros, I should always push until the end,” Swiatek said, a mindset Andreeva embodied in her upset over Pegula.
Swiatek’s fall to No. 7, with 4,602 points, marks a stark contrast to her dominance from April 2022 to September 2023, when she held No. 1 for 125 weeks. Her semifinal loss to Sabalenka, coupled with the inability to defend her 2,000 points from 2024, has cost her dearly. “I just felt like there are some stuff I need to work on,” she admitted after a gritty win over Alexandra Eala in Madrid, a focus that didn’t fully materialize in Paris. Despite reaching the semifinals, her title drought since June 2024 and losses to players like Danielle Collins and Jelena Ostapenko—who leads their head-to-head 7-0—highlight her struggles.
Madison Keys, at No. 8 with 4,468 points, maintains her position with a fourth-round showing, while Paula Badosa climbs to No. 9 with 3,668 points, her resurgence fueled by a fourth-round run. Emma Navarro rounds out the top 10 at No. 3,633 points, her steady performances keeping her ahead of Elena Rybakina, who dropped to No. 11 after an early exit.
The rankings shakeup reflects a dynamic WTA landscape, with Gauff and Sabalenka leading the charge and young talents like Andreeva and Zheng closing in. For Swiatek, the slide to No. 7 is a wake-up call as she heads to the grass courts, where she’ll compete at the Bad Homburg Open before Wimbledon. “For sure I’m not a complete player,” she acknowledged, signaling her intent to evolve under new coach Wim Fissette. As the tour shifts to grass, the battle for supremacy promises more twists, with Swiatek determined to reclaim her throne.
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