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Australian tennis superstar Ash Barty has surpassed Simona Halep to become the 10th longest-serving women's tennis No.1 since rankings began in 1976.
Ash Barty has quietly entered rarefied air, gatecrashing the top 10 of longest-serving world No.1s in women's tennis history.
Barty is enjoying her 66th week atop the rankings, having surpassed Simona Halep's 64-week reign following another strong season start including an eight-match winning streak, a ninth career title and run to the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Legends Steffi Graf (377 weeks), Martina Navratilova (332), Serena Williams (319), Chris Evert (260), Martina Hingis (209), Monica Seles (178), Justine Henin (1170), Lindsay Davenport (98) and next-in-sight Caroline Wozniacki (71) are the only women to have held the No.1 spot longer since rankings were introduced in 1976.
Despite her lofty status, Barty's position has, justifiably, been called into question with Naomi Osaka confirming herself as Serena Williams' heir apparent with a fourth grand slam triumph in Melbourne.
Barty is benefiting from the WTA's revised rankings system, which takes into account players' best performances over the past two years - instead of the usual one - after much of 2020 was wiped out because of COVID-19.
But one area where Barty has Osaka covered is sheer consistency - and that's why the Australian is ranked No.1 and the Japanese superstar No.2.
Since Barty made her grand slam breakthrough at the 2019 French Open, the 24-year-old boasts better numbers than Osaka in almost every department bar the majors.
Barty has chalked up more wins overall than Osaka, claimed almost double the amount of top-10 and top-20 scalps, won more titles, made more finals, semi-finals and quarter-finals and banked more prize money.
Barty has also collected trophies on clay, grass and hard surfaces, while all seven of Osaka's career titles have been won on hard courts.
With a thigh injury sidelining Barty until her next planned event in Miami next month, Osaka has the chance to make further inroads into the Queenslander's rankings lead.
But then the clay and grass swings are played out in Europe, where Osaka has historically struggled and Barty excelled.
Much was made of Barty's Australian Open quarter-final collapse, from a set and 2-0 love up against Karolina Muchova, and subsequent second-round loss in Adelaide.
But the world No.1 was quick to put the defeats into perspective.
"You know that there are no easy matches going into any tournament.," she said, a point proven last year when the 54th-ranked Iga Swiatek won the Roland Garros crown after Barty opted out of her title defence.
"You can't win every single tennis match."
MOST WEEKS AS WORLD NO.1 SINCE WOMEN'S TENNIS RANKINGS WERE INTRODUCED IN 1976:
1.Steffi Graf (377)
2.Martina Navratilova (332)
3.Serena Williams (319)
4.Chris Evert (260)
5.Martina Hingis (209)
6.Monica Seles (178)
7.Justine Henin (117)
8.Lindsay Davenport (98)
9.Caroline Wozniacki (71)
10.Ash Barty (66)
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11.Simona Halep (64)
12.Victoria Azarenka (51)
13.Amelie Mauresmo (39)
14.Angelique Kerber (34)
15.Dinara Safina (26)
16. Naomi Osaka (25)
= 17.Maria Sharapova, Tracy Austin (21)
19.Kim Clijsters (20)
20.Jelena Jankovic (18)
21.Jennifer Capriati (17)
= 22.Ana Ivanovic, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (12)
24.Venus Williams (11)
25.Karolina Pliskova (8)
26.Garbine Muguruza (4)
27.Evonne Goolagong Cawley (2)
