Elena Rybakina Ascends to World No. 1 in WTA Rankings
Elena Rybakina's Historic Achievement
File image of Elena Rybakina(Photo: @ivabianconero/X)
New Delhi, Sep 14: Elena Rybakina has officially claimed the title of world No. 1 following the latest WTA rankings update, surpassing Aryna Sabalenka on Monday.
Her position at the top was secured after she triumphed over Qinwen Zheng in the quarterfinals of the recent US Open, culminating in a victory against Sabalenka in the final.
With this achievement, Rybakina becomes the first player from Kazakhstan, male or female, to reach the No. 1 ranking in singles. Throughout the season, she closely followed Sabalenka, who experienced a decline in form during the mid-season.
While Sabalenka struggled, Rybakina steadily climbed the rankings since late last year, showcasing impressive performances during the North American hard-court season, which led to her success in New York.
Upon learning of her No. 1 ranking, Rybakina expressed her pride in representing Kazakhstan, stating, "It’s history, and I’m very proud to be representing Kazakhstan," as reported by WTA.
She reflected on her journey, saying, "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."
Sabalenka commented on Rybakina's rise after her defeat in the Flushing Meadows final, humorously questioning whether Rybakina could surpass her 99-week reign at the top. "Let's see if Elena can beat me in that," she remarked, adding, "If she continues to play like that, then yeah, I'm in trouble."
Rybakina secured her first US Open title with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 against Sabalenka. After her victory, she expressed disbelief, stating, "It's just incredible. I still can't believe it. I mean, no words."
Interestingly, Rybakina had not practiced for a week before the tournament, revealing that her preparations in New York were less than ideal.
"Somehow, day by day, we were trying to find a way, adapting to all the challenges I was waking up with every day. I was not touching my racquet for seven days before the tournament," she explained.
Despite the challenges, Rybakina managed to clinch the title after just four days of practice. "Just four days of practice, a lot of belief in yourself and talking with the team nonstop about the tactics, how I played in Canada, how I played in Cincinnati. I mean, it's just so many things. Everything went my way. I'm shocked," she concluded.