None of the WTA’s top three players have won a title this year.
After recent struggles and upsets at the Australian Open, Dubai and Qatar Open, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka are having a unusual start to their 2025.
After losing to Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals in Melbourne, Gauff, the world No.3 lost both her first matches at the Qatar and Dubai Open.
The American lost 6-2, 7-5 to Marta Kostuk in Doha, a match that was undone by familiar struggles with her serve and forehand, before enduring a 6-4, 7-5 defeat to fellow American McCartney Kessler in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka, the world No.1, lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 in Doha before losing to Clara Tauson 7-6, 6-4 in Dubai as her poor post Australian Open final loss persists.
Swiatek, has made a deeper run in both Qatar and Dubai reaching the semi-finals and quarter-finals respectively but her defeats were upsets handed to her by lower ranked players.
Particularity her Dubai loss, where the world No.2 lost to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-3, in a match that sent shock waves around the tennis world.
The manner of these defeats from the WTA’s three highest ranked players has left some wondering if there is a reason behind it.
Swiatek believes there is a cause, singling out the WTA’s scheduling as the issue and claiming it affects all the top ranked players on the tour.
“It’s a calendar thing. Like, we’re not going to be able to be consistent for many years playing week by week,” she told a reporter when asked about her struggles.
“Also it’s not like some time ago that outside of, like, top-20 players, they were just getting destroyed more. Now anybody can win these tournaments. It has been like that for a couple of years.
“But I feel like the calendar is not helping. Again, like, we need to switch continents, we need to switch surfaces, we need to switch the balls. Yeah, it’s not easy. I’m not surprised.”
Swiatek’s diagnosis makes sense when considering that many of the WTA’s top 10 players have suffered with their form this year amidst a turbulent calendar.
World No.4 Jasmine Paolini has won just four singles matches since the start of the year and was unable to defend the Dubai Open title.
While world No.5 Jessica Pegula has registered just five victories, and lost her second match in Dubai against Linda Noskova, while world No.8 Qinwen Zheng has won just one match in 2025.
World No.9 Emma Navarro had a strong start to the year, reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals but has won just two matches since.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka has pinpointed the turnaround from being in Australia then to the Middle East for her drop in form.
“I’d say that for the last couple of years, I’m not doing well in the Middle East. I believe we need to change something in the preparation,” said Sabalenka.
“Because every time I don’t feel well playing here, health-wise I’m struggling. Australia always taking a lot of energy out of me.
“I believe that I’m not that hungry on court. I’m kind of like all over the place in my thoughts and not consistent. The decisions I’m making on the court are a bit wrong, and emotionally, I’m not on my best.”
Sabalenka will be hoping to quickly improve as the hard-court season, her most dominant surface, is coming to an end soon.
Indiana Wells and the Miami Open begin in early March before the clay court season kicks off towards the end of the month.
The next Grand Slam, the French Open, a tournament Swiatek has won four times, begins May. 25.