Ahead of the 2021 season (my predictions for which player will win all four Grand Slams, the WTA Finals and Olympic medals here), I will be offering my predictions for the 2021 WTA year-end top 10, with a full summary of how I expect the rankings to look at the end of the year.
10. Elise Mertens (Belgium)
| 2020 Rank | #20 | Career High Rank | #12 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 72% | Career Win Rate | 65% |
9. Serena Williams (USA)
| 2020 Rank | #11 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 77% | Career Win Rate | 85% |
8. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)
| 2020 Rank | #8 | Career High Rank | #2 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 77% | Career Win Rate | 70% |
7. Garbine Muguruza (Spain)
| 2020 Rank | #15 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 77% | Career Win Rate | 66% |
6. Iga Swiatek (Poland)
| 2020 Rank | #17 | Career High Rank | #17 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 74% | Career Win Rate | 78% |
5. Sofia Kenin (USA)
| 2020 Rank | #4 | Career High Rank | #4 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 73% | Career Win Rate | 64% |
4. Ashleigh Barty (Australia)
| 2020 Rank | #1 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 79% | Career Win Rate | 73% |
3. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
| 2020 Rank | #13 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 75% | Career Win Rate | 72% |
2. Naomi Osaka (Japan)
| 2020 Rank | #3 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 84% | Career Win Rate | 64% |
1. Simona Halep (Romania)
| 2020 Rank | #2 | Career High Rank | #1 |
| 2020 Win Rate | 88% | Career Win Rate | 70% |
Expect the 2021 year-end WTA Top 10 to look like the following:
Rank. Player Name (Country) (Change)
- Simona Halep (ROU) (+1)
- Naomi Osaka (JPN) (+1)
- Victoria Azarenka (BLR) (+10)
- Ashleigh Barty (AUS) (-3)
- Sofia Kenin (USA) (-1)
- Iga Swiatek (POL) (+11)
- Garbine Muguruza (ESP) (+8)
- Petra Kvitova (CZE) (=)
- Serena Williams (USA) (+2)
- Elise Mertens (BEL) (+10)
What do you think the top of women’s tennis will look like at the end of 2021? Let me know in the comments!
Main photo:
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I would like to state there are several scenario’s which will heavily depend on the Covid crisis. Simona Halep has 4 titles to defend, which would cost her a lot of points if the WTA would reinstall the normal ranking system. But Simona did not play well in the States and in China, and could win extra points there. So I would put my money on Naomi Osaka first, Kenin second, Barty third and Halep fourth.