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Rybakina secures year-end number one ranking
Elena Rybakina secured the year-end women’s singles number one ranking by beating Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 in the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. The result means no player can overtake her in the remaining weeks of the season, capping a year in which she won the Australian Open and US Open.
The 27-year-old has won four titles in 2026, including last week’s Ningbo Open, and took the top ranking from Aryna Sabalenka in September. Rybakina also won the season-ending WTA Finals last year; she next faces Leylah Fernandez in Tokyo before defending her WTA Finals title in Indian Wells from 8 to 15 November.
In short
- Rybakina is guaranteed to finish 2026 as world number one.
- She won the Australian Open and US Open this year.
- Her next tournament is the WTA Finals in Indian Wells.
Explained simply
Elena Rybakina is a professional tennis player who competes on the women’s tour run by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Players earn ranking points through results at tournaments across the season, and the standings determine who finishes the year at the top.
The year-end number one ranking is separate from winning an individual tournament: it reflects a player’s results over the full season. Aryna Sabalenka and other leading players have also competed for the top spot, while major events such as the Australian Open and US Open contribute to the season’s ranking picture.
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