SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – SEPTEMBER 21: Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy following victory in the Women’s Singles Final match on Day Seven of the Korea Open Tennis Championship 2025 presented by Motiva at Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center on September 21, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
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Iga Swiatek could reclaim the No. 1 ranking this year, and her 2024 drug suspension gives her an unexpected advantage.
Swiatek is the top seed at the 2025 China Open in Beijing. Her tournament gets underway tonight against Yuan Yue, who defeated Yulia Putintseva, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round.
Swiatek is seeded No. 1 because top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka withdrew due to a minor injury she suffered at the 2025 U.S. Open.
After Sabalenka defended her title at the U.S. Open, her lead at No. 1 seemed insurmountable. However, Swiatek won a 500-level tournament in Seoul last week and enters Beijing with zero points to defend.
If Swiatek wins the China Open, she would come within less than 1,000 points of Sabalenka. With the 1000-level Wuhan Open and WTA Finals still to play, Swiatek could overtake Sabalenka and finish the year ranked No. 1.
“Well, I would say it’s always something to be, like, there in the back, but it’s not like it’s a main focus,” said Swiatek during a pre-tournament press conference. “I already know that thinking about the rankings, it’s not a way to go, no matter if you’re No. 2 or no matter if you’re No. 1.”
Swiatek’s 2025 Struggles Begin With 2024 Drug Ban
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – NOVEMBER 05: Coco Gauff of the United States and Iga Swiatek of Poland pose prior to their round robin singles match during Day 4 of the 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 05, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for WTA)
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Last year, shortly after the 2024 U.S. Open, Swiatek announced she was withdrawing from the China Open and Wuhan Open, both 1000-level tournaments.
“Due to personal matters, I’m forced to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing. I’m very sorry as I had an amazing time playing and winning this tournament last year and was really looking forward to being back there,” she posted via statement. “I know that the fans will experience great tennis there and I’m sorry I won’t be a part of it this time.”
It wasn’t until late November 2024 that the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced that Swiatek tested positive for the prohibited substance, trimetazidine (TMZ) in August 2024. Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension.
According to the ITIA, Swiatek, “accepted that the positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin), manufactured and sold in Poland that the player had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues, and that the violation was therefore not intentional.”
News of the drug ban emerged after the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, where Swiatek lost to Coco Gauff, who had a 1-12 record in their previous 13 meetings. Gauff defeated Swiatek again during the United Cup, weeks ahead of the 2025 Australian Open.
Though a setback at the time, the drug suspension is aiding Swiatek’s late-season surge. With no points to defend in Beijing or Wuhan, Swiatek increased her lead over No. 3-ranked Gauff, defending champion at the China Open.
Earlier this year, Swiatek struggled. She went 13 months without winning a title. Whispers emerged about her post-drug ban performance. During the clay-court season, Swiatek failed to defend titles in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. She dropped to No. 8, her lowest ranking in three years.
Swiatek’s Wimbledon Win Boosts WTA Ranking
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Iga Swiatek of Poland with the winners’ trophy after her victory against Amanda Anisimova of the United States in the Women’s Singles Final on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 12th, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
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When it seemed things were at their worst, Swiatek waltzed through Wimbledon, without dropping a set and defeated Amanda Anisimova, 6-0, 6-0 in the final, without dropping a game.
The surprise win at Wimbledon elevated Swiatek to No. 3, behind Gauff, who lost in the first round. Sabalenka, despite her semifinal loss at Wimbledon, remained at No. 1. But now Sabalenka was the only member of the Big 3 in women’s tennis, who didn’t have a Major title in 2025.
After Wimbledon, Swiatek won the Cincinnati Open and overtook Gauff, heading into the U.S. Open.
Although Swiatek held the No. 1 ranking for 125 weeks and would love to reclaim the top spot, she isn’t fixated on were she ranks.
“So I’m not focusing on that. For sure it’s a different situation than last year when I wasn’t really able to defend my No. 1, like earn it. Yeah, so for sure I’m just happy that I’m here and I can compete and fight for it,” she said. “But I got to say, yeah, my main focus is more, like, tennis-related, how I want to play, how I feel on court, yeah. I already know that thinking about the rankings, it’s not a way to go, no matter if you’re No. 2 or no matter if you’re No. 1.”
With Sabalenka nursing an injury and Gauff trying to defend a title, Swiatek has little to lose in Beijing and the No. 1 ranking within reach.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/merlisalawrencecorbett/2025/09/26/china-open-2025-how-iga-swiateks-drug-ban-puts-no-1-within-reach/
