On Monday, 14 September 2026, Elena Rybakina officially became the PIF WTA World No.1 in singles. The 27-year-old is the 30th woman to hold the top ranking and the first player from Kazakhstan to reach the summit, ending Aryna Sabalenka’s formidable 107-week reign.
A crown secured under New York lights
Rybakina did not wait for the ranking computer to confirm her ascent. Two days earlier, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, she defeated the two-time defending champion 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the US Open. The quarterfinal victory over Zheng Qinwen had already guaranteed the No.1 spot, but the final made the statement complete.
She controlled the opening set, then faced two Sabalenka set points in the second before yielding a third to a delicate drop shot and a backhand crosscourt winner. Rybakina tightened her game decisively in the third, breaking early and holding firm as Sabalenka’s frustration boiled over into a racquet smash at the net.
A rivalry that swung both ways
Sabalenka had beaten Rybakina in the Indian Wells final earlier that season and held a winning record in their early major finals. But 2026 belonged to the Kazakh, who had already defeated Sabalenka for the Australian Open title in January and the WTA Finals crown in late 2025. This latest meeting snapped Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina earned $5.5 million, the largest prize in Grand Slam history, and matched Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva with a tour-high three titles this season. Her rise was built on a 12-month run that included the record-breaking 2025 WTA Finals payday and deep finishes at multiple WTA 1000 events.
“It’s tough to find words right now,” Rybakina told reporters. “I’ve been dealing with an injury but somehow everything aligned together on my side.”
Her power and precision had carried her through the field. With the ranking now officially hers, Kazakhstan has a champion at the very top of the sport.
