Serena Williams came off a tad highfalutin when, in ’09, she exclaimed, “We all know who the real No. 1 is.” At the time, Williams was looking up at then-No. 1 Dinara Safina, who, despite having never won a Slam, would spend 25 straight weeks in the top slot.
Though the folks in the WTA’s St. Petersburg headquarters might not have admitted it at the time, they knew good and well that Williams was right. When it came down to it, the No. 1 ranking suddenly didn’t carry the weight it used to. Since Justine Henin’s 61-week reign came to an end in May 2008, there’s been a revolving-door presence at No. 1. Safina spent 27 total weeks at No. 1. Jelena Jankovic held that distinction for 18 weeks. Neither has ever won a Grand Slam. Williams, meanwhile, flaunting a rise-to-the-occasion-when-it-matters-most bravado, has somehow managed to dance in and out of the crowded calendar at will, collecting trophies all the while.
Now we have a new Slamless No. 1. With Williams on the sidelines nursing her sore feet, Caroline Wozniacki is poised to become the 20th player in WTA history to ascend to the top when the new rankings are released on Oct. 11. By reaching the quarters at the China Open in Beijing, the Dane guaranteed that she’ll surpass Williams at No. 1, a ranking the American has held since November 2009. Wozniacki will become the first Danish player (man or woman) to reach No.1 and the seventh youngest in WTA history.
“I’m very proud,” said Wozniacki. “It’s always been a dream for me to achieve the No. 1 ranking.”
Wozniacki has won a tour-leading five titles so far this year, the first player to do so since ’07, when Henin captured 10. Wozniacki’s ‘10 accomplishments include titles in Tokyo, Montreal, Ponte Vedra Beach, Copenhagen and New Haven. She also reached the Indian Wells final and the Charleston semis. In addition to becoming the first singles player to qualify for the year-end WTA Championships in Doha, Wozniacki is one of only two players (along with Venus Williams) to reach at least the fourth round of every Grand Slam this year, advancing to the Round of 16 at the Aussie Open and Wimbledon, the Roland Garros quarters and the U.S. Open semis.
She has won a tour-leading 56 matches this season and was seeded No.1 at a major for the first time in New York.
