WTA Power Rankings: Big Names Look to Get Back… National Bank Open

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The WTA Tour has already had two 1000 events and a Grand Slam so far in 2025 and the results were probably not what most people expected. Incredibly, all three of those big titles were won by players outside the Top 10.

Now the intensity ramps up another notch with two of the most well-known non-Grand Slam events on the calendar: Indian Wells and Miami. Is this the moment when the WTA’s stars step up and reassert themselves? Or are there more surprises in store?

The National Bank Open Power Rankings are here to tee up the Sunshine Double.

(Brackets indicate change in position since the last edition of the Power Rankings from before the Australian Open.)

1. Aryna Sabalenka (-)

Actual Ranking: 1
2025 Record: 12-3
Notable Recent Results: Australian Open Runner-Up
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells Runner-Up (2023)

It would be fair to say that Aryna Sabalenka has not had the start to 2025 that some may have expected. A major and two 1000 events have passed by, all on hard courts, and she did not win any of them.

However, she still reached her third Australian Open final in a row and practically every big name struggled at the Middle East 1000s so it was not just the world No. 1 who had a tough go. The fact remains that Sabalenka has been the best player on hard courts for the better part of the last two years and as long as the surface under her feet is solid, she is the favourite.

2. Iga Swiatek (+1)

Actual Ranking: 2
2025 Record: 14-4
Notable Recent Results: WTA 1000 Doha SF
Best Sunshine Double Results: Indian Wells (Twice) and Miami Champion (2022)

For the first time since 2019, Iga Swiatek arrives in Indian Wells without a title so far in the season (excluding 2020 when the tournament was cancelled). She did not reach the final at one of the WTA 1000 events in the Middle East for the first time since 2021.

But despite the lack of trophies, Swiatek has been very consistent to start 2025. She has reached the quarter-finals or better at all three big events this year, the only woman on tour to do so, and lost to the eventual champion at two of those tournaments (Madison Keys in Australia, Mirra Andreeva in Dubai) so some understandable losses.

Perhaps most importantly, Swiatek is the defending champion in Indian Wells, having reached three straight semifinals in Tennis Paradise and lifting the trophy twice. She did not drop a set in her title run a year ago.

3. Coco Gauff (-1)

Actual Ranking: 3
2025 Record: 9-3
Notable Recent Results: Australian Open QF
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells SF (2024)

Gauff returns to home soil looking to snap a three-match losing streak dating back to her quarter-final loss at the Australian Open. She lost her opening matches in both Doha and Dubai in straight sets.

However, this current losing streak was preceded by an 11-match winning streak and she is 22-5 overall since the US Open. She has reached the quarter-finals or better each of the last two years in Indian Wells and will have the home crowd advantage which has helped the American to two of her three biggest titles (US Open and Cincinnati in 2023).

4. Madison Keys (New)

Actual Ranking: 5
2025 Record:14-1
Notable Recent Results: Australian Open Champion
Best Sunshine Double Results: Indian Wells (2022) and Miami (2016) QF

What does Madison Keys have in store for an encore?

The Australian Open champion will be competing in her first event since winning her maiden Grand Slam title over the coming weeks. She is on a 12-match winning streak that includes wins over Sabalenka, Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins, Daria Kasatkina, and Jelena Ostapenko.

She has been off for quite a while so it will be interesting to see if she is rusty or if the momentum gained in Melbourne is still there. She has made the quarter-finals once each in Indian Wells and Miami. Her quarter-final run in Indian Wells back in 2022 was also following a deep run at the Australian Open.

5. Jessica Pegula (+1)

Actual Ranking: 4
2025 Record: 13-4
Notable Recent Results: WTA 250 Dallas Champion
Best Sunshine Double Result: Miami SF (Twice)

Pegula arrives hot on the heels of her first title since winning in Toronto last August, claiming the title in Dallas. She also reached the final of Adelaide earlier in the year, losing to Keys.

So far in 2025, Pegula has been able to pick up wins but has yet to go on a run at a big tournament. She did not win more than two matches at the Australian Open or either WTA 1000 event.

It is worth noting how well Pegula plays in North America. She has reached the quarter-finals or better at the last four WTA 1000 or Grand Slam events in her home continent, including three straight finals (Toronto, Cincinnati, US Open).

6. Mirra Andreeva (+3)

Actual Ranking: 11
2025 Record: 13-3
Notable Recent Results: WTA 1000 Dubai Champion
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells R1 (2024)

Mirra Andreeva has been dubbed a future star for years, but probably the word “future” can be dropped from that moniker. The 17-year-old became the youngest WTA 1000 winner since the format began in 2009 when she lifted the trophy last month in Dubai. Her title run included wins over Swiatek and Rybakina.

It is also worth noting that two of her three losses this season came at the hands of the world No. 1 Sabalenka.

Now the pressure will be on the teen to back up her big result. She will only be making her second appearance in Indian Wells and her debut in Miami.

7. Paula Badosa (+3)

Actual Ranking: 10
2025 Record: 10-7
Notable Recent Results: Australian Open SF
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells Champion (2021)

Paula Badosa seems close to getting her top form back, the form that saw her win Indian Wells back in 2021. While she had disappointing results in Doha and Dubai, prior to that she had reached the quarter-finals or better at four straight WTA 1000 and Grand Slam events.

Additionally, most of her losses so far in 2025 have been to the best players. She was beaten by Sabalenka in Australia, eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in Doha, and Rybakina in Dubai. No shame in any of those results. It takes a lot to beat Badosa these days, although it was a bit concerning to see her retire in her most-recent event in Merida, Mexico.

8. Elena Rybakina (-4)

Actual Ranking: 7
2025 Record: 13-5
Notable Recent Results: WTA 1000 Dubai SF
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells Champion (2023)

After Swiatek, Rybakina has arguably been the next most consistent player on tour this year. She has won at least two matches in every tournament she’s played this year and has reached the quarter-finals or better at her last three events in a row, including both WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai. Rybakina has also lost to the eventual champion in three of the four regular tour events she has played this year.

But even with all her consistency, the former Wimbledon champion has yet to reach a final in 2025. In fact, she has not reached a final since Miami last year.

That being said, the Kazakhstani plays very well during the Sunshine Double. She won Indian Wells the last time she played there in 2023 and has reached the last two finals in Miami.

9. Emma Navarro (New)

Actual Ranking: 8
2025 Record: 10-5
Notable Recent Results: WTA 500 Merida Champion
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells QF (2024)

In Indian Wells a year ago, Navarro had her first deep run at a big event, reaching the quarter-finals. She has continued to improve since, adding a semifinal in Toronto and three consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals or better dating back to Wimbledon.

She also arrives fresh off a dominant title run in Merida which was capped off with a double-bagel in the final.

One area to keep an eye on with Navarro though is her performances in big matches. She played two qualifiers and a wild card in Merida and only has one win over an opponent ranked inside the Top 25 this year, although that was a Top 10 win over Daria Kasatkina at the Australian Open.

10. Karolina Muchova (-2)

Actual Ranking: 15
2025 Record: 9-5
Notable Recent Results: WTA 1000 Dubai SF
Best Sunshine Double Result: Indian Wells QF (2023)

After injuries sidelined her for the first half of 2024, Karolina Muchova finished the year with a bang which led to high expectations going into 2025. She got off to a slow start but has been picking up steam, reaching the semifinals of her last two events including the WTA 1000 in Dubai.

While big titles have eluded her, Muchova is no stranger to the late rounds of big events, having reached a pair of WTA 1000 finals in her career, four Grand Slam semifinals, and of course the 2023 Roland-Garros final. She has only played Indian Wells once before but reached the quarter-finals in that lone appearance.

The National Bank Open Power Rankings are a group collaboration by the Power Rankings Panel which includes:

Pete Borkowski – Manager of Editorial and Player Coverage, Tennis Canada
Melissa Boyd – Content Writer, Tennis Canada
Sarah-Jade Champagne – Content Specialist, Tennis Canada
Jonathan Chan - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Edward Lee – Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Hugues Leger – Producer, Podcast Sur La Ligne
Charlotte Robillard-Millette – Communications Coordinator, Tennis Canada
Abraham Santerre – Content Creator, Podcast Sur La Ligne
Patrick Steski - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Ravi Ubha - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada

Bold Prediction for the Sunshine Double:

Pete: After wildly unpredictable 1000 events in the Middle East, both Sunshine Double events will be won by previous WTA 1000 winners.
Mel: After winning Indian Wells in 2023, Elena Rybakina will complete her Sunshine Double trophy collection by winning Miami in 2025.
Sarah-Jade: Serena Williams will award the WTA trophy to the winner after all her history in Indian Wells.
Jonathan: Paula Badosa wins her second Indian Wells title.
Pat: A qualifier reaches the final four at one of the events.
Ravi: Swiatek repeats as Indian Wells champion.

The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. Get your tickets today!

Feature Photo : BNP Paribas Open