Sabalenka puts the WTA number 1 ranking up for auction in New York and there are two American players who can snatch it away
Rybakina, who depends on herself, Pegula and Gauff aim to dethrone the Belarusian from the top
Three tennis players, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, want to take advantage of the WTA's current disarray. The domination of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek is over, and Rybakina, Pegula and Gauff are in with a chance of snatching the world number one ranking from Sabalenka . She has held it since October 21, 2024.
The Belarusian’s consistency came to an end precisely at the 2025 US Open. Since then, she fell short at the Australian Open (runner-up), Roland Garros (quarterfinalist) and Wimbledon (round of 16) .
Her results have been declining, but in New York she will become the sixth player with the longest time spent at the top, with a total of 99 weeks .
Since Serena Williams (2012-14), no professional has been able to win three consecutive times on the courts of Flushing Meadows . The statistics work against Sabakenka because the last seven majors have gone to different faces . The record for no one repeating is eight.
The Kazakh, who was forced to retire due to her Achilles tendon in the Cincinnati quarterfinals , will be the new WTA leader if she reaches the semifinals regardless of what the others do.
Elena is in cotton wool and has not even secured her place in the first round against the unknown Thea Frodin , world No. 580. Sabalenka, Pegula and Gauff's chances depend on winning the title.
Unlike Wimbledon, where she accepted a wild card into the singles draw, Serena Williams has chosen to play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz and doubles alongside her beloved sister Venus .
The youngest of the family, who will turn 45 on September 26 , officially retired from tennis four seasons ago. It came after losing in the third round of the US Open to Ajla Tomljanovic .
The women's contingent arrives without high expectations. Paula Badosa's performance is an unknown following the procedure the Catalan underwent, which has kept her from competing since last July.
