New Delhi, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Elena Rybakina has officially become the new WTA World No.1, overtaking Aryna Sabalenka in the latest weekly rankings released on Monday, completing a historic rise for the Kazakh star.
Rybakina had already secured the top ranking after defeating Qinwen Zheng in the US Open quarterfinals. She went on to claim her first US Open title by beating defending World No.1 Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final at Flushing Meadows.
With her ascent, Rybakina has become the first Kazakh player, man or woman, to reach No.1 in the singles rankings.
The 27-year-old had remained close behind Sabalenka for much of the season, steadily building her challenge after beginning her ascent late last year. While Sabalenka experienced a dip in form during the middle of the season, Rybakina produced a dominant run on the North American hard-court swing before completing her breakthrough in New York.
“It’s history, and I’m very proud to be representing Kazakhstan,” Rybakina had said after securing the No.1 ranking, as quoted by the WTA.
“I never thought that I’m going to be professional or I’m going to be even playing on these kind of tournaments on the biggest stages,” she added.
Sabalenka, who had spent 99 weeks at the top, responded to Rybakina’s rise with a joke after the US Open final.
“Let’s see if Elena can beat me in that,” Sabalenka said when asked about her 99-week reign. “She continue(s) to play like that, then yeah, I’m in trouble.”
Rybakina’s US Open triumph was particularly remarkable given her limited preparation. She revealed that she had not touched a racquet for seven days before the tournament and had only four days of practice in New York.
“Somehow, day by day, we were trying to find a way, adapting to all the challenges I was waking up with every day,” she said.
“Just four days of practice, a lot of belief in yourself and talking with the team nonstop about the tactics… Everything went my way. I’m shocked,” she added.
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