Temi Kings
Elena Rybakina continues her reign atop the women’s game, maintaining the WTA World No. 1 ranking as the tour prepares for the WTA 1000 China Open in Beijing.
Rybakina officially reached the No. 1 spot earlier this month after defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 in a thriller at the US Open final. The victory made her the 30th woman in WTA history, and the first player representing Kazakhstan, to reach World No. 1.
Rybakina’s rise to the top of the WTA rankings reflects an extraordinary 2026 campaign. Her US Open triumph was her second Grand Slam title of the season, adding to her Australian Open victory in January and her title at Stuttgart. With additional final appearances at Indian Wells and Toronto, Rybakina has amassed a dominant point cushion over World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 3 Jessica Pegula.
As the tour transitions to the high-stakes Asian hardcourt swing, headlined by back-to-back WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan, Rybakina’s ranking buffer places her in full control of the race for the Year-End No. 1 crown. Following brief rest after the BJK Cup Finals in China, Rybakina enters the main draw in Beijing as the top seed, aiming to cap off a historic 2026 season.