Elena Rybakina has claimed the women's world No 1 ranking for the first time after defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach the semi-finals of the US Open in New York.
The victory by the Kazakh star ends Aryna Sabalenka's reign at the top of the WTA rankings, ending a streak that spanned 99 consecutive weeks at the summit of the women's game and 106 weeks in total.
Sabalenka entered the tournament at Flushing Meadows needing to defend all of her ranking points as the reigning champion to hold onto top spot, while relying on Zheng to defeat Rybakina. Having reached only the fourth round at last year's event, Rybakina had significantly fewer points to defend, bolstered by a consistent season that included winning the Australian Open in January.
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) calculates world rankings on a rolling 52-week system, rewarding players who perform consistently across the tour's highest-tier events. The US Open, held annually at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, serves as the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season.
Rybakina Reacts to Ranking Milestone
Rybakina admitted it was "tough to find words" after securing the milestone following her victory over Zheng. Speaking on court to interviewer Andrea Petkovic, Rybakina acknowledged the tension of the match.
"It's been a very difficult match, with a lot of nerves, and it wasn't maybe the highest level," Rybakina told Petkovic. "I'm glad I pushed through."
She added: "It's been an early match, and in my head I was complaining about sun, shadow - it was definitely a battle inside me, and I'm glad I pushed all the negative thoughts away and I'm happy to be in the semi-finals here."
"I didn't start that well, and I was negative, and it wasn't easy (transitioning from night to day matches), (but) I was just telling myself, keep on fighting, work on some things," Rybakina said.
Addressing her ranking, Rybakina stressed that her main priority remains winning titles rather than focusing on numbers. "It's just a number right now, and of course I'm in the semis," she said. "My goal is to win the tournaments I play."
"It's an amazing achievement, but you know how quickly everything can change in ranking points, in matches," Rybakina added. "I just need to focus."
Sabalenka Watches Match on Practice Court
At the exact moment Rybakina secured her match point against Zheng, Sabalenka was practicing on a court just a stone's throw away inside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The Belarusian paused her drills to step over to a nearby television screen to watch the closing moments of the match.
Zheng had entered the tournament as a qualifier after sliding down the world rankings following a period sidelined by injury. Had the Chinese Olympic champion defeated Rybakina, Sabalenka would not have been the only player with a chance to retain or capture the top spot.
Home favourites Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were also in contention to reach world No 1 if either American went on to lift the trophy after Saturday's final.
Gauff and Pegula have established themselves among the top American players on the WTA tour, with Gauff winning her maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2023. Zheng claimed gold for China at the Paris Olympic Games.
Sabalenka Targets US Open Three-Peat
Despite losing the top spot, Sabalenka remains focused on defending her title in New York. On Tuesday, the Belarusian admitted she would gladly trade her ranking for the opportunity to pull off a "three-peat" by winning the US Open title.
"I'll be more than happy," Sabalenka grinned when asked about the hypothetical exchange. "Yes, three-peat. Sounds great."
Looking ahead to the end of the year and the start of 2027, Sabalenka will have opportunities to regain ground as Rybakina faces a heavy load of ranking points to defend as the reigning WTA Finals champion and winner in Melbourne.
