5 High-Profile Women’s Tennis Stars Who Never Achieved Year-End World No. 1……..

**5 High-Profile Women’s Tennis Stars Who Never Achieved Year-End World No. 1**

The race to the coveted World No. 1 ranking is one of the toughest and most prestigious in professional tennis. For women, this title signifies dominance and consistency over an entire season, and only a select group of players have managed to achieve this feat. Among the many women who have risen to the top throughout the history of tennis, there are a few high-profile stars whose incredible careers were marked by success and titles, but who never managed to finish a year at the No. 1 position. Here, we take a closer look at five such iconic players, including the likes of Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams.

### 1. **Maria Sharapova**
Maria Sharapova is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable names in women’s tennis, a player whose power, charisma, and competitiveness captured the tennis world’s attention for nearly two decades. Sharapova won five Grand Slam singles titles (including Wimbledon, the US Open, and the French Open) and spent a total of 21 weeks at World No. 1 during her career. However, despite her impressive title haul and consistent performances, she never managed to finish a year at the top of the WTA rankings.

Her closest moment to ending the year at No. 1 came in 2005 when she held the position briefly but couldn’t hold onto it by season’s end. Sharapova’s career was often defined by her fierce rivalries, particularly with Serena Williams, whose dominance in the sport made it difficult for many to take over the top spot. Still, Sharapova remains one of the most accomplished and influential athletes in tennis history.

### 2. **Venus Williams**
Venus Williams, one of the most dominant forces in women’s tennis in the late ’90s and early 2000s, is another player who failed to secure a year-end World No. 1 ranking, despite her immense talent and accomplishments. With seven Grand Slam singles titles to her name and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her sister Serena, Venus was a consistent contender at the top of the game. She was World No. 1 for a total of 11 weeks in her career, but never managed to finish a year in the top spot.

Venus’s rivalry with her younger sister Serena, who dominated the sport for much of the 2000s and 2010s, was a major factor in preventing her from achieving the top year-end ranking. Nonetheless, Venus Williams remains a legend in her own right, with her athleticism and powerful game inspiring generations of tennis players.

### 3. **Caroline Wozniacki**
Caroline Wozniacki is one of the most successful players of the 21st century, having held the World No. 1 ranking for a total of 71 weeks and winning the 2018 Australian Open. Despite her impressive consistency and longevity at the top of the women’s game, Wozniacki never finished a year as the World No. 1. While she reached the summit of the rankings in 2010, she was unable to end the year in that position, with players like Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters frequently edging her out during the final stretch of the season.

Wozniacki’s lack of a Grand Slam title in 2010, when she was No. 1 for much of the year, also led to some criticism that she was a “paper No. 1.” However, her 2018 Australian Open victory proved her doubters wrong, cementing her legacy as one of the game’s greats. Despite never finishing a year at No. 1, Wozniacki’s consistent excellence over a long period earned her a place among the sport’s elite.

### 4. **Serena Williams**
This might surprise many, but while Serena Williams holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era with 23, she never finished a calendar year ranked as World No. 1 in the WTA rankings during her career. Serena reached No. 1 in the rankings a staggering 319 weeks, including a record 186 consecutive weeks from 2013 to 2016. However, she never ended a season as the year-end No. 1, with her closest attempt coming in 2015, when she finished as No. 1 after an outstanding year where she won three Grand Slam titles.

Serena’s rivalries with players like Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and later, Victoria Azarenka, and the rise of other top contenders like Maria Sharapova, sometimes prevented her from clinching that elusive year-end No. 1 ranking. Nevertheless, her unparalleled career achievements and long-term dominance of the sport make her one of the greatest players in tennis history.

### 5. **Kim Clijsters**
Kim Clijsters, one of the most gifted and well-loved players of the late 1990s and 2000s, never finished a year as World No. 1, though she reached the summit of the WTA rankings for a total of 20 weeks. Clijsters was known for her powerful groundstrokes, agility, and mental toughness, and her career was dotted with many high points, including four Grand Slam singles titles. Her rise to No. 1 in 2003 was a reflection of her consistency and competitive nature, but she often found herself competing with players like Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Justine Henin for supremacy at the top.

Clijsters’ decision to take a break from tennis to start a family in 2007 and return to the sport in 2009, after an extended absence, meant she lost valuable time at the top. Despite never clinching the year-end No. 1, Clijsters remains one of the sport’s most accomplished and admired players, with a legacy that extends beyond rankings and titles.

### Conclusion
While these five women — Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Serena Williams, and Kim Clijsters — never finished a calendar year at World No. 1, their careers have been defined by remarkable achievements and extraordinary talent. Despite missing out on the elusive year-end No. 1 ranking, their influence on the sport and their legacies remain undeniable. Each of them has added something special to the history of women’s tennis, with a combination of thrilling rivalries, dominant performances, and countless Grand Slam titles that will resonate for generations to come.