Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are among the women's tennis stars STRIPPED of ranking points due to governing body's Draconian rules

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek are among the boldfaced names in women's tennis set to be penalised in the WTA's end-of-season rankings. 

The Belarusian remains set to end the year at the top of the women's tennis tree for a second consecutive year after claiming the last Grand Slam of the season - the US Open - at the beginning of last month. 

Swiatek, who endured a challenging start to the year but re-found her form to claim victory in SW19 this summer, sits second in the rankings, with American stars Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova snapping at her heels in third and fourth. 

But both of the players will receive deductions after failing to follow one of their sport's governing bodies' established rule. 

Also set to receive docked points is Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who currently sits eighth in the world rankings. 

Anisimova and Gauff will also face penalties ahead of next month's WTA Finals in Riyadh. 

All five of the top-10 players have failed to play the mandatory number of WTA 500 tournaments required by the organisation, which is six. 

500 tournaments are the third most prestigious tournaments in ATP and WTA tennis, below the Grand Slams - which are not run by either of the men's or women's tour organisaers - and the Masters, wherein the maximum amount of points that can be won is 1000. 

Players who skip mandatory events are 'zeroed out' in return, which effectively means that points gained at tournaments they did play are removed punitively. 

Sabalenka, Gauff, Anisimova and Swiatek all only played three 500 tournaments, with both Sabalenka and Swiatek winning one of theirs - the Brisbane International and the Korea Open respectively. 

Keys played four 500 events in 2025, just missing the threshold, with none of the players opting to take part in last week's Ningbo Open - which is similarly rated - in a bid to 'make up' their points. 

As a result, Sabalenka, Gauff and Anisimova will all be docked 10 points apiece, with Swiatek docked 65 points, and Keys 54 points. 

However, none of the deductions are likely to affect the player's rankings ahead of the Finals in Saudi Arabia. 

The deductions come one year after similar demerits making all the difference however, with Sabalenka's world-No 1 ranking seized as Swiatek was deducted points for playing only two 500 events in 2024. 

Swiatek has been outspoken about the demands of the tour and the impact mandatory events have on a player's psyche as they decide how to schedule their year. 

The Polish star's most recent comments came during the China Open, with the former French Open champion calling out the WTA's attempt to make events mandatory as misguided. 

'I don't think any top player will actually be able to achieve this, for example, playing the six 500 tournaments,' Swiatek said in Beijing. 'It's just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule. 

'But yeah, I think we have to be smart about it, not really unfortunately care about the rules and just think what's healthy for us. Yeah, it's tough.

'The only thing I can do now, when I decided I'm going to play all these mandatory tournaments, is to just take care of my body, take care of the recovery. 

'I have a good team around me also that is helping me with that. I'm experienced enough to know kind of what to do. So physically I am good.'

In opting not to take in part in the final 500 of the season, all five of the players are focusing on preparations for the WTA Finals. 

After a semi-final exit at the Wuhan Open, Sabalenka has made her training base in Dubai - and even indulged in some downtime with tennis 'soulmate' Paula Badosa at her hotel - while Anisimova, Swiatek, and Gauff have taken similar pauses, the 21-year-old after winning in Wuhan. 

Keys has been training in Florida since the US Open, when she endured an unedifying first-round exit against Renata Zarazua.