The aura of Iga: On Swiatek’s 2022-style run to the WTA Finals title, and the year-end No. 1 ranking

On Friday, the WTA confirmed that the final three places have been locked up. Czechs Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova will make their debuts and Tunisia's Ons Jabeur is back for a second year running.

Vondrousova defeated Jabeur to win her first major at Wimbledon, a breakout performance that propelled the left-hander to the Top 10 for the first time. Likewise, Muchova joined the upper echelon of the rankings thanks to runner-up appearances at Roland Garros and Cincinnati.

Jabeur, a three-time major finalist, recently nabbed her second title of the season in Ningbo to go with her 500-level triumph in Charleston.

Vondrousova later advanced to the quarterfinals at the US Open.

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The trio joins world No. 1 and Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek, US Open winner Coco Gauff, fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina in the field. The Kazakh is also due to make her inaugural appearance.

Last year’s champion, Caroline Garcia, was well off the qualification cutline, having entered Beijing at No. 20 in the race. The Frenchwoman will drop all 1,375 points from her 2022 showing come November 6. Maria Sakkari, currently in line as the first alternate at No. 9, has appeared in the semifinals at the past two editions.

Of this year's group, only Sabalenka has contested the WTA Finals championship match before. The 25-year-old was denied by Garcia after eliminating Swiatek in Fort Worth, Texas.

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