Six women can leave Melbourne Park as the world No. 1

The WTA’s No.1 ranking is up for grabs in a big way at the Australian Open over the next two weeks, as six players—Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova and Jelena Ostapenko—fight it out to leave the Happy Slam as the top player in the world.

This isn’t the first time there’s been somewhat of a free-for-all for the No. 1 ranking at a Grand Slam —at the last one, the 2017 US Open, eight players started the tournament with a shot at the top spot.

There are six here, with Halep a strong frontrunner. She’s the current No. 1 and has nothing to defend over the next two weeks, as she lost in the first round here last year to an inspired Shelby Rogers.

Halep could lose first round and still hang onto No. 1 depending on the other players’ results.

Here are the minimum requirements for each of the other five players to have a shot at No. 1:

Wozniacki: Needs to reach the semifinals.

Svitolina: Needs to reach the semifinals.

Muguruza: Needs to reach the final.

Pliskova: Needs to win the title.

Ostapenko: Needs to win the title.

And even if any of those players make those scenarios happen, they’ll need other players not to make it to a certain round. It could get complicated, but we’ll keep you posted here on TENNIS.com.

Three of those five players—Wozniacki, Muguruza and Pliskova—have already been No. 1, but for one of them in particular, it would be a historic return to No. 1 if it happens. Wozniacki hasn’t been No.1 in almost six years, her last time occupying the top spot coming during the Australian Open fortnight in 2012. If she’s able to make it back there after six years it will mark the longest gap between stints at No. 1 in WTA history—Serena Williams has the current record at just over five years.

For Svitolina, a rise to No. 1 wouldn’t just mean she would have reached the semifinals or better at a Grand Slam for the first time, it would also make her the first Ukrainian woman ever to reach No. 1. In fact no Ukrainian woman has come anywhere near as close as Svitolina has to No. 1. Before her, the highest ranking ever achieved by a Ukrainian woman was No. 19 in the world (Alona Bondarenko).

And for Ostapenko, not only would she become the first Latvian woman ever to reach No. 1, but given she needs to win the title, it would mean she’d have won two of the last four Grand Slams.

But for now, Halep’s the frontrunner—watch this space for updates throughout the tournament.

**Make your picks NOW in Tennis Channel's Racquet Bracket!**