There’s a new No. 1 in the WTA: Elena Rybakina finally reaches the top after a long pursuit: “We found the formula”
WTAThursday, 10 September 2026 at 02:30
Elena Rybakina has spent months chasing the top of the WTA rankings, and on Wednesday in New York she finally caught it. The Kazakh came from a set down to defeat Qinwen Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and reach her first US Open semifinal, a result that guarantees she will become the world No. 1 when the rankings are updated after the tournament.
The timing made the achievement particularly significant. Rybakina had been closing the gap on Aryna Sabalenka for much of the year, but the Belarusian entered New York having spent 99 consecutive weeks at No. 1 and 100 weeks overall by July. Rybakina needed to reach the semifinals to guarantee the takeover, regardless of what happened elsewhere in the draw.
It is the culmination of a remarkable turnaround that began late last season. After an inconsistent 2025, Rybakina found her best tennis when the year was almost over, winning Ningbo before making the WTA Finals through a dramatic late-season qualification campaign. In Riyadh, she went unbeaten, defeated four Top-5 opponents and beat Sabalenka in the final to claim one of the biggest title of her career.
She carried that momentum into 2026, winning her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and adding another title in Stuttgart. Finals in Indian Wells and Toronto kept her within striking distance of Sabalenka, while the Belarusian's own results meant the gap never became insurmountable. Rybakina arrived in New York knowing that, for perhaps the first time, the No. 1 ranking was genuinely within reach.
Rybakina finally reaches the summit
The path to the ranking milestone was not straightforward. Rybakina had already lost opportunities during the North American swing, falling to the final in Toronto and retiring in the Cincinnati quarterfinals with an injury. She then arrived in New York with another difficult question to answer after admitting she had been injured before the tournament.
Instead, she produced her best US Open run yet. Before facing Zheng, she had dropped only 25 games through four rounds, the second-fewest among the quarterfinalists, and completed the set of Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances for the first time in her career.
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan celebrates after defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, during round of 16 National Bank Open
Zheng presented a very different challenge. The Chinese player had started the tournament in qualifying at No. 121 and had already produced two extraordinary comebacks, recovering from 0-5 down against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek before reaching the quarterfinals. Rybakina had beaten her twice already in 2026, but again found herself a set behind.
This time, though, Rybakina found a response. She raised her level after a nervous opening set, broke Zheng repeatedly and eventually closed out the victory in two hours and 14 minutes. At 4-3 in the third set, she even saved a break point that would have given Zheng the chance to serve for the match before winning the next three games.
“Well, it's exciting, but at the same time, tough to believe because still the tournament going on," the Kazakh said to Tennis Channel desk. "Yeah, it's unbelievable achievement, and I think I need a little bit more time to process.”
Rybakina has been close to this moment for months. She acknowledged that becoming No. 1 had always been one of her ambitions, making the achievement particularly satisfying after spending so long within touching distance.
“It's always one of the goals to be at the top of the ranking, and especially being so close for a couple of months. It's nice to finally get to that point.”
The 27-year-old now becomes the 30th woman in WTA history to reach No. 1 and the first player from Kazakhstan, male or female, to occupy the top spot. She is also the fourth woman to reach No. 1 during the 2020s, following Ashleigh Barty, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka.
“We found the formula”
The milestone is even more striking given how Rybakina described her relationship with the US Open in previous years. New York has often been the Grand Slam where her results failed to match her level elsewhere, but this time she arrived with a different combination of experience, preparation and confidence.
“I love New York and actually my first junior Grand Slam was here at the US Open exactly 10 years ago and I always had nice memories. But the schedule and year is so long and I was always coming, not 100%.”
Her breakthrough has therefore been less about one sudden change than about finally putting several pieces together. Rybakina specifically credited the experience accumulated over the past seasons and the team around her for helping her find a formula that has now produced an Australian Open title, the WTA Finals trophy and the No. 1 ranking.
“Even this time I was injured before the tournament, but I guess with all the experience, with such a great team around me, we found the formula, we found the way this time and it's working. So hopefully it's going to work for longer.”
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That last sentence may be the most revealing part of Rybakina's reaction. Becoming No. 1 is the achievement she has been chasing, but she is not treating it as the destination. With two matches still separating her from a US Open title, her attention has already moved elsewhere.
“I feel like right now all my focus should go just on my next match. And you always want to win the title. So the end goal is there, but match at a time.”
Her next opponent will be Coco Gauff, another Grand Slam champion who had been in contention for the No. 1 ranking before Rybakina secured the position by reaching the semifinals. The American now stands between the new world No. 1 and a first US Open final — and potentially a much bigger ending to a journey that began long before she arrived in New York this year.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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