Rybakina admits end goal is World No.1: "There is still a long way to go"

Elena Rybakina won the 2023 Indian Wells Masters over Aryna Sabalenka getting to number 7 of the rankings in the process but it's not where she wants to be.

Rybakina was supposed to be ranked inside the top 5 when she won Wimbledon last year but it didn't happen because the event wasn't giving out points. It's yet to happen this year but after winning Indian Wells, she got closer to it as she moved up to a new career-high ranking of number 7. She wants to be number 1 one day which she explained after the win in Indian Wells:

"I think the biggest goal is of course to be No. 1. There is still long way to go. So this is the kind of end goal, I would say. For now, I'm 7, but you know how quickly the ranking change. So I need to always focus on the next tournament I play. Yeah, I'm just trying not to think so much about the ranking, especially now since it's a long way to go."

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2023 has been really good to her so far as only one player has been better than her so far this year and it's Aryna Sabalenka who is ranked number one in the race. Rybakina is number two but she's not thinking about it too much:

"I know that now I'm No. 2, I think so. But, I mean, it's just the beginning of the year, so still many tournaments ahead. It doesn't mean anything in the beginning, I think."

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Rybakina reaches career high after Indian Wells glory, Sabalenka closes in on World No.1 spot in updated WTA Rankings