WTA Ranking Update: Sabalenka extends lead at number one, Rybakina returns to top three as young talents earn career highs in top 20

The 2026 Australian Open has come to an end, with 128 players in the WTA main draw having had the chance to gain some valuable points and climb up the ruthless rankings. While some has capitalised on this rare opportunity, many have faltered, unable to take advantage to recoup the points needed to avoid a stark slide down.

Aryna Sabalenka may have lost another Grand Slam final, but she does not lose any points from when first entering Melbourne Park two weeks ago. She is set to be the world number one for the long haul, sitting with 10,990 points, an huge gap to her rival Iga Swiatek who dropped down to 7,978 after a disappointing quarter-final exit.

The Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina continues her fine form, with the 2000 points being added to her tally seeing a two-place rise back into the top three of the world. The sacrifice for this? Coco Gauff. The American in turn drops down a couple of places after a tragic quarter-final defeat. Amanda Anisimova was guaranteed to be above her fellow American if they get knocked out in the same round, and that is what occurred. She had a brief stint flirting with the top three, but the two-time Grand Slam finalist will have to settle with fourth for now, almost 1000 points trailing the champion.

There is movement from sixth to ninth with Jessica Pegula (6,103), Mirra Andreeva (4,731) and Jasmine Paolini (4,267) staying put. With the semi-final Pegula does close the gap to her American compatriots, hoping to continue her good form and rise back up into the top five in the coming weeks and months.

After so much promise with the United Cup run, Belinda Bencic barely made a dent in the major event, exiting at the second round. She did, however, gain a single spot in the rankings to bolster her top 10 position ahead of her title defence in the Abu Dhabi Open. Elina Svitolina is a deserving top 10 player once more, with her semi-final bolstering the Ukrainian back into 10th with 3,205 points.

Ekaterina Alexandrova's spell in the top 10 has, for now, come to an end. She will be hoping to claim it back in the Middle East swing. Just behind her, a pair of touted talents have climbed into new career highs. Linda Noskova (2,761) and Victoria Mboko (2,606) both enjoyed contrasting Australian Open campaigns, but are now closing in on debuting in the top 10.

An injury halted Naomi Osaka's Australian Open, with her being one of the main topics in the event thanks to outfit choices and tense moments. She rises four places to 14th, with the two-time champion Down Under leapfrogging the 2025 winner Madison Keys who could only muster up a last-16 appearance. It was almost inevitable that she would fall down the tally, and this is what has occurred. 15th in the world in now her new home, with the American hoping to change that in the near future.

Clara Tauson and Emma Navarro both drop two places with Ludmilla Samsonova and Karolina Muchova filling in at 18th and 19th. Completing the top 20 is 18-year-old sensation Iva Jovic who made a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final. She jumps up a seismic seven places to fully confirm herself as one of the best players in the world.

Despite all the promise before the event, Marta Kostyuk drops three places to 23rd as Anna Kalinskaya emerges back in the top 30 after a six-place rise boosts her up to 27th. Maya Joint also reached a new career high of 29th in the world. Her home major event was not what she was hoping for but it is enough to bump Emma Raducanu down a place to 30th.

The Australian Open offers a lot of points, and many players have capitalised on this. No more than Xinyu Wang who moves up 13 spots to 33rd in the world and on the cusp of a seeding position. Maire Bouzkova and Magda Linette both move up seven and 11 places respectively to solidify their spots in the top 40.

The biggest rise comes from Zeynep Sönmez, whose third round appearance saw her rise 33 places into the top 100, culminating at 79th in the world. Other big movers included Oksana Selekhmeteva (+25 to 76th), Peyton Stearns (+18 to 50th), and Hailey Baptiste (+14 to 56th).

With risers also come fallers. The biggest was a staggering 53 place drop by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Last year's quarter-finalist failed to make it past the first hurdle, seeing her drop to 100th in the world. Paula Badosa also suffered hugely. This time last year, she was making inroads up the rankings. Thanks to injury setbacks, a semi-final from 2025 was nowhere near to being match as she drops down 39 places to 65th in the world.

Other losers from the 2026 Australian Open include Donna Vekić (-23 to 95th), Olga Danilovic (-19 to 88th) Eva Lys (-20 to 59th) and Dayana Yastremska (-15 to 43rd) among others. There is a number of events on this week ranging from Romania to UAE, where players will be hoping to claw back some of the deficit.