WTA Race Update: Aryna Sabalenka cuts gap to Rybakina after Indian Wells title, Mboko and Svitolina stay in top-5

The WTA Race to Riyadh has been updated after the conclusion of Indian Wells, the third WTA 1000 of the season, and with a new champion: the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who cuts the gap to Elena Rybakina in the Race after defeating her in the final, while both maintain a wider margin as the top-2.

Let us remember that the WTA Race only considers the points earned in the calendar year – marking differences from the WTA Ranking – and only counts from the first week of 2026. The Race will determine the eight players who will qualify for the WTA Finals in Riyadh. It will also determine the year-end rankings of the rest of the players on the WTA Tour.

Rybakina fell in the final in Tennis Paradise but maintains the top spot with 3,103 points. However, she is already beginning to feel the pressure from Aryna Sabalenka (2,810), champion this weekend, who now sits at a distance of just under 300 points from Rybakina. In Miami, she will have a chance to take the top of the Race if she manages to defend the title – or produces a strong run while Rybakina exits early.

Those who were displaced were Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina – who each dropped one place after their campaigns in Indian Wells. They were among the players who performed strongly in California, with Pegula reaching the quarter-finals and Svitolina the semi-finals, both being eliminated by an inspired Rybakina. The top-4 is now consolidated, with nearly 500 points separating Svitolina from the following positions.

There are also not many differences with the players chasing them – who also produced strong campaigns in Indian Wells and continue consolidating a solid start to the season. Victoria Mboko was eliminated in the semi-finals by Sabalenka – but added 215 points that keep her inside the top-5. The Canadian holds a 16-5 record this year, reached finals in Adelaide and Doha, and the only times she did not reach a final were two defeats against world No. 1 Sabalenka (Australian Open, Indian Wells).

The rest of the top-10 does not present many changes: the champion of the first WTA 1000 of the season at the Qatar Open, Karolina Muchova, did not manage to advance too far after facing Iga Swiatek in the fourth round. Nevertheless, the strong points margin she built from her title in Doha allows her to remain in 6th place, still without much risk considering a comfortable gap of more than 300 points from 7th place.

This is where Mirra Andreeva appears, who did not manage to defend her title in Indian Wells and remains once again in 7th place in the WTA Race. The Russian teenager advanced just one round and exited in the Round of 32 against Czech player Katerina Siniakova. She lost the opportunity to close in on Muchova, while seeing her top-10 rivals begin to approach dangerously.

A particularly tight zone is found in the rest of the top-10, with three of the main protagonists of the WTA Tour. Coco Gauff (1,055), Amanda Anisimova (1,020) and Iga Swiatek (1,020) remain in the top-10 after campaigns that did not fully meet expectations in Indian Wells.

For Coco Gauff, it was a retirement during her third-round match against Alexandra Eala, in which she was being dominated by the Filipina before a arm injury prevented her from finishing the match. The two-time Grand Slam champion managed to win just two games and committed up to seven double faults, while doubts about her level continue to grow in recent tournaments.

Less disappointing was Anisimova’s elimination in the fourth round, after being defeated by a very tough opponent like Mboko. Anisimova had been having a strong tournament, but once again was beaten by one of the top players – after being eliminated in her deep runs in Australia and Dubai by Jessica Pegula, this time it is another top-10 player who knocks her out after she had accumulated several wins.

For Swiatek, it also ended as a disappointment, after important wins against rivals such as Sakkari and Muchova, she ended up falling in the quarter-finals to Ukrainian Svitolina. Nevertheless, it serves her to return to the top-10 of the Race (which she had dropped out of two weeks ago), and to displace American Iva Jovic.