The WTA rankings are the Women's Tennis Association's (WTA) merit-based system for determining the rankings in women's tennis. The top-ranked singles player is the player who, over the previous 52 weeks, has garnered the most ranking points on the WTA Tour. Points are awarded based on how far a player advances in tournaments and the category of those tournaments. The WTA has used a computerized system for determining the rankings since November 3, 1975. Since 1975, 29 women have been ranked No. 1 in singles by the WTA, of which 16 have been year-end No. 1. Aryna Sabalenka is the current singles world No. 1.

WTA No. 1 ranked singles players

The rankings are sourced by the WTA Media Guide and the WTA website (which usually revises its rankings every Sunday night or Monday morning, except when tournament finals are postponed). {{Legend|#eaecf0|First-time No. 1 player.}} {{legend|#ffffcf|WTA rankings record.|text=‡}} {{legend|#ddfddd|Current World No. 1 (weeks are automatically updated).}}

Weeks at No. 1

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Total

Consecutive

Weeks are updated automatically. The source for this through the week of January 2, 2012, is the 2012 WTA Tour Official Guide, page 177.

Weeks at No. 1 leaders timeline

Current record in bold.

No. 1 leaders timeline

Year-end No. 1 players

The source for this through to 2012 is the 2012 WTA Tour Official Guide, page 178. {{Legend|#ffffcf|text= * |Player was ranked No. 1 throughout the entire calendar year.}} {|

By year

By year (continued)

Per player

Players who became No. 1 before having won a major tournament

Time span between first and last dates No. 1 was held

{{Legend|#ddfddd|Current No. 1 player (date and age are updated automatically).}}

Weeks at No. 1 by decade

1970s*

• — Starting November 1975

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

WTA rankings were frozen from March 23, 2020 to August 9, 2020.

Weeks at No. 1 by country

Weeks are updated automatically.

• Monica Seles is included twice due to change of citizenship.