A new era is beginning at the top of women’s tennis as Elena Rybakina has secured the world No. 1 ranking, ending Aryna Sabalenka’s remarkable 99 week reign at the top of the WTA rankings. Rybakina confirmed the historic achievement at the US Open after defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3 6, 6 1, 6 4 in the quarterfinals. The result guaranteed that the Kazakh player would move to the top of the rankings for the first time in her career, ending a period of dominance by Sabalenka. The official ranking change will take effect after the tournament, but Rybakina has already secured the points necessary to become the new leader.
Rybakina’s rise to the top comes after one of the strongest periods of her career. The 27 year old already has two Grand Slam titles, winning Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year. Her victory in Melbourne came against Sabalenka, adding another important chapter to what has developed into one of the most significant rivalries in women’s tennis. Rybakina has also continued to collect major results throughout 2026, establishing herself as one of the most consistent players on the tour. Her victory over Zheng at the US Open was particularly impressive because she recovered after losing the opening set, taking control of the match and eventually securing the win that changed the rankings at the top of the sport.
For Sabalenka, the change brings an end to one of the longest periods of dominance in recent women’s tennis. She had spent 99 consecutive weeks as world No. 1 and had established herself as the player to beat on hard courts, particularly at the US Open. Despite losing the ranking, however, Sabalenka remains in an excellent position to finish the tournament with another major title. She defeated Jessica Pegula 7 5, 6 2 in the semifinal and reached the US Open final for the fourth consecutive year. She is now one victory away from winning the tournament for a third straight time, something achieved by only a small group of players in the history of the event.
Rybakina has since taken another major step by defeating Coco Gauff 3 6, 6 4, 6 4 in the semifinal, booking her place in the US Open final against Sabalenka. That means the two players responsible for the biggest ranking story of the tournament will now meet for the championship itself. Regardless of the final result, Rybakina will leave New York as the new world No. 1, while Sabalenka will attempt to respond by winning another Grand Slam title. Their final will also add another chapter to a rivalry that has already included major finals and some of the biggest matches of the 2026 season.
