Is this a trolling of Sabalenka? The 15th-ranked player has referred to Swiatek as the true leader

The 15th-ranked player in the world, Liudmila Samsonova, has declared that the Polish player Iga Swiatek is the true leader of women's tennis.

"Iga. 100%. I feel that she is the real number one. We competed together in the final in Beijing, and she approached me and was very kind during the ceremony. She said, 'I know it's tough sometimes.' When I got to know her better and became closer to her, I felt something special," said Samsonova.

It's worth noting that Swiatek lost her status as the world's top-ranked player following the US Open. The current leader is Aryna Sabalenka, who, like Samsonova, is competing in a "neutral" status.