Elena Rybakina will become World No. 1 in women’s singles for the first time in her career when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday following her breakthrough run at the 2026 US Open.
The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan secured the top ranking after defeating China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the US Open quarterfinals on September 9. The victory guaranteed that Rybakina would overtake Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the standings.
Rybakina will become the 30th woman in WTA history to hold the No. 1 singles ranking and the first player representing Kazakhstan, male or female, to reach the top of the world rankings.
“Becoming the WTA World No.1 is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a young girl,” Rybakina said in a statement published by the WTA. She added that she was proud to share the achievement with her team.
Her rise ends Sabalenka’s lengthy spell at No. 1. The Belarusian had occupied the position since October 2024 (taking over Iga Swiatek). Rybakina entered the US Open with Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula also among the players capable of finishing the tournament at the top of the rankings.
Rybakina’s 2026 season has included several major results. She won the Australian Open, defeating Sabalenka in the final, and also claimed the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. She reached WTA 1000 finals at Indian Wells and Toronto and made the semifinals in Miami. Her progress followed an undefeated run to the 2025 WTA Finals title.
After securing the No. 1 ranking, Rybakina said she remained focused on tournament results rather than her position in the standings.
“It’s just a number right now,” she said after beating Zheng. “My goal is to win the tournaments which I play.”
Rybakina continued her US Open campaign by defeating Coco Gauff in the semifinals before beating Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in Saturday’s final to claim her first US Open title. The triumph gave her a second Grand Slam championship of the 2026 season.