On Wednesday evening, Aryna Sabalenka watched from the practice arena as Elena Rybakina ended her 99-week reign as the WTA world No. 1. Rybakina sealed the top ranking by beating the resurgent Qinwen Zheng to reach her first US Open semi-final.
Rybakina’s Historic Grand Slam Performance
Elena Rybakina has reached a significant milestone in women’s tennis, marking her best Grand Slam season to date. Notably, she has become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1995 to defeat the world No. 1 in a Grand Slam final on two occasions within the same year. Graf achieved this feat by beating Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario at the French Open and Monica Seles at the US Open.
1 ranking had been looming for some time. Rybakina’s ascent had been building since last season, when she ended 2025 by beating Sabalenka in the WTA Finals Riyadh championship match. Weeks later, she came back from 3-0 down in the deciding set to beat Sabalenka again and win the Australian Open. Her first-serve percentage improved to 61% in the second set, but she could not convert either of her two break points. She then saved two set points to hold for 5-5, only for Sabalenka to break two games later and level the match. Rybakina regained control in the decider, breaking for 2-1 and then again at 5-2 with a volley winner.
Because it’s just guessing, “I completely separate myself from that,.
I’m just trying to bring my best tennis every time I’m competing out there and basically fight for it,” she said after reaching the quarter-finals. The threat to the world No. It’s like if, if, if, if. Rybakina’s surge continued. Former US Open champion Coco Gauff was no match for the reigning Australian Open winner in the semi-finals, losing in three sets after taking the opening set.
A few points later, she sealed the title with her 12th ace, mirroring the way she had converted match point at the Australian Open eight months earlier.
