Aryna Sabalenka faces the most pressure at the Miami Open in terms of ranking points, while Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Alex Eala are also under pressure.
Following her three-set victory over Elena Rybakina at the Indian Wells Open, Sabalenka will be defending her WTA 1000 title in Florida. She had a dominant run in 2025, winning the tournament without dropping a set.
Sabalenka’s Dominant 2025 Run
Sabalenka’s 2025 Miami Open saw her defeat Danielle Collins, Zheng Qinwen, and Paolini en route to the final, where she beat Pegula. This victory earned her 1,000 ranking points.
She will be defending those 1,000 points, and anything less than another title will result in a drop in points. This gives her rivals the chance to close the gap.
The WTA uses a rolling 52-week system for rankings, where players defend points from their 18 best tournaments.
Rybakina’s Ranking Advantage
Rybakina, the new world No 2, has a free hit in terms of ranking points. She reached the round of 16 last year, earning 120 points, but will only defend 65 points.
She is substituting her next best result as it is higher than her Miami result. She is also guaranteed to earn those 65 points back.
Gauff’s Injury Cloud
Gauff was beaten in the fourth round last year. She is under an injury cloud this time around, as she retired with an arm injury during the Indian Wells Open.
Points Pressure on Pegula and Paolini
Pegula finished runner-up to Sabalenka a year ago. She will need to make the final again or win the title if she is to finish the tournament with a positive points earned total.
She will slip down a spot once the points come off at the start of the tournament. The American will move to No 6 above Pegula in the Live Rankings at the start of the Miami Open.
Paolini, a semi-finalist 12 months ago, needs another deep run to stay within touching distance of those in front of her. She does have a decent gap to those behind her.