Elena Rybakina Reflects on Clinching Career’s First Year-End No.1 Ranking: “It’s an Amazing Achievement”

Elena Rybakina has reached another milestone this season. After winning two Grand Slam titles and dethroning Aryna Sabalenka from the No.1 ranking, the Kazakh ace has now clinched the year-end No.1 ranking.

She achieved this after her opening-round win over countrywoman Yulia Putintseva in the Pan Pacific Open. Rybakina, who defended her title at the Ningbo Open (her first title defense) before entering Tokyo, needed just one win to secure the year-end No.1 ranking. She did so by beating Putintseva.

It means a lot, this is something we worked for with the team. So many great players, and we are all really close to each other, and I’m happy that now with last week and with today’s win, I made it possible to secure number one at the end of the year. It’s an amazing achievement, and hopefully we can continue this way next year.

Elena Rybakina said after her opening-round match in Tokyo (H/T: Tennis365)

Rybakina, however, withdrew from her second-round match against 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez due to a neck injury. In Ningbo, the World No.1 beat the Canadian ace, prior to which she suffered an opening-round defeat at the China Open, also her first tournament since the US Open, where she denied Sabalenka the three-peat with a three-set win in the final.

Today, the serve definitely helped me in the important moments. I was just trying to pick my spot, and I think today, with a closed roof and a combination of the balls and the court, made me feel better serving. I’m glad today it worked.

Elena Rybakina added

Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion took her revenge in the Indian Wells final. Rybakina next clinched the Stuttgart Open by beating Karolina Muchova, before she lost the Canadian Open final to six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

Elena Rybakina on how her life has changed since becoming World No.1

Elena Rybakina officially became World No.1 after the US Open. She had never reached the top of the rankings table before that. So what has changed since she removed Aryna Sabalenka from the top?

Not much has changed. It was another goal that I achieved, which is great. I definitely get more attention wherever I go, and that’s nice. It hasn’t been that long yet, but that’s what I can say right now. There’s definitely just more attention.

Elena Rybakina said in Tokyo (H/T: Tennis World USA)

On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev dethroned Jannik Sinner from the No.1 spot in the live rankings after defeating Tallon Griekspoor in the second round of the Vienna Open. On Monday, he will become the first German man since Boris Becker in 1991 to reach this milestone.

Like Rybakina, Zverev also won two Grand Slam titles this season, taking home the French Open and the US Open by beating Flavio Cobolli and Ben Shelton, respectively.

Back to Rybakina, she will next be competing at the WTA Finals, which runs from November 8 to November 15. The 27-year-old will enter the tournament as the defending champion. She beat Sabalenka in last year’s final.

The players, apart from Rybakina, who have qualified for the year-end championships are: Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, Linda Noskova, and Karolina Muchova. Rybakina was the only qualified player to participate in events after the Wuhan Open, the last WTA 1000 of the season.

Apart from Rybakina, Gauff and Svitolina have won this title. Iga Swiatek, the 2023 champion, failed to qualify for the first time since making her debut in 2021.

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