Despite claiming her third title of the 2025 season at the Korea Open, Iga Swiatek could still encounter a challenge.
This year marked Swiatek’s debut at the Korea Open, where she triumphed over Barbora Krejcikova, Sorana Cirstea, and Maya Joint to reach the final of the WTA 500 event.
In the final, the Polish player had to rally from a set down against Ekaterina Alexandrova, adding yet another title to her wins at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open.
Fans Criticize WTA Rule That May Affect Swiatek’s Points
Swiatek has been quite active this season, participating in her 16th tournament at the Korea Open. Nevertheless, she could face a points deduction due to a stipulation in the WTA rules.
These rules require eligible players to compete in all four Grand Slams, ten mandatory WTA 1000 events, and six WTA 500 tournaments. However, only 18 of these events can contribute to a player’s ranking.
While Swiatek has managed to fulfill her Grand Slam and WTA 1000 commitments, she has only entered four WTA 500 events, putting her at risk of losing points from her lowest-scoring tournament this year—the 65 points from the Italian Open.
Impact on Other Players
Even though Swiatek is at the center of discussions regarding potential point deductions, her closest competitors—Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff—have only participated in three WTA 500 events this year as well.
This lack of participation is unlikely to significantly affect their rankings, as any deductions they face would amount to just 10 points.
As Swiatek prepares for the upcoming tournament in Beijing, her points gap with world number one Sabalenka has narrowed to 2,792 points following her latest victory.
