If you’ve ever followed women’s tennis closely, you’ve probably noticed that broadcasters and websites often mention two different types of rankings: the WTA Rankings and the WTA Race to the Finals. At first glance, they look similar—lists of players with points next to their names—but they actually represent different things. Understanding the distinction clears up why a player can be outside the top ten in the official rankings yet still be in contention for the season-ending WTA Finals. Let’s dive in.

Definition

The WTA Rankings are the official benchmark in women’s tennis, which operates on a rolling 52-week system. This means a player’s points are made up of her best results from the previous year. A maximum of 18 tournaments are counted, including all four Grand Slams, the mandatory WTA 1000s, and a mix of other events where the player has done well. If she qualifies for the WTA Finals, those results can count as a bonus. Because it stretches over a full year, the rankings offer a broader picture of sustained success and consistency.

The WTA Race to the Finals, on the other hand, is a calendar-year leaderboard. Every January, the slate is wiped clean, and players start from zero again. Points are added only for tournaments played in that particular season, and the race continues until late autumn. The top eight singles players (and top eight doubles teams) in this race qualify for the prestigious WTA Finals, often called tennis’ version of a season-ending championship.

Analogy for clarity

To make the difference even clearer, imagine school grading. The WTA Rankings are like your cumulative GPA. They keep rolling, always updating as older grades fall away and newer ones come in. If you got an A in a course last spring, that helps your GPA until exactly one year later, when it drops off.

The WTA Race is more like your report card for the current semester. It doesn’t matter how well or poorly you did in the past—when January comes around, everyone starts at zero. Only what you achieve this year counts toward making the honor roll.

In the same way, the rankings reflect overall standing in the sport, while the Race captures who’s having the strongest season right now.

Key differences at a glance

Here’s a side-by-side view to make things easier to understand:

Examples (2025 Context)

This year gives us some perfect case studies. Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning world No. 1, sits at the top of both lists. In the official rankings, she has more than 11,000 points because her record over the last 52 weeks has been outstanding—deep runs in majors, multiple titles, and strong showings at the biggest events.

She also leads the Race with more than 7,000 points collected in 2025 alone. That shows not only that she has been consistently excellent, but she has also carried her form into the new season. Iga Świątek is just behind her in both standings, underlining her own steadiness at the elite level.

But the most interesting case would probably be that of Amanda Anisimova. She sits just outside the top ten in the official rankings because her results in late 2024 weren’t strong. Those weaker showings still count against her 52-week tally. Yet in the Race, she’s already among the top five, thanks to a terrific run of results in 2025—semifinals, finals, and a big title at the ATP 1000 Qatar. For fans looking only at the rankings, it might seem surprising that she is pushing for a Finals spot. But the Race highlights her hot form this season, which is exactly what the WTA Finals aim to reward.

A recent example from past seasons shows the same pattern. In 2023, Coco Gauff reached the top four in the Race even while her official ranking hovered around No. 6. The Race reflected her surge of form, while the rankings still carried points from older events.

Why the difference matters

For fans, knowing the distinction makes it easier to follow the Tour. When autumn comes around and commentators talk about who is “in the Race” for the Finals, it doesn’t necessarily mean those players are ranked inside the top eight in the world. Instead, it means they’ve been among the best performers of that specific year.

For players, the two lists carry different weights. The official rankings determine tournament entry, seedings, and prestige. Being world No. 1 or top ten in the rankings is a career milestone. The Race, however, is a ticket to the WTA Finals and a way to measure seasonal dominance. Doing well in the Race can also boost sponsorships and media attention, since it shows who is trending upward right now.

And as 2025 unfolds, watching the gap between the two gives fans an extra storyline: who has staying power, and who is riding this year’s wave of momentum.

Written by

Diptarko Paul

Edited by

Purva Jain