Aryna Sabalenka added yet another elite title to her ever-expanding trophy cabinet last night, thus cementing her position as the best player in the world.
However, Elena Rybakina’s start to the 2026 season has threatened that crown, even if there is still a huge gulf between them in the world rankings.
This has been established over years of consistent quality, claiming title after title to secure her spot at the top.
And, during this period, she has matured into the perfect candidate to lead the WTA as its top-ranked player.
Aryna Sabalenka is the perfect player to lead the WTA forward
Aryna Sabalenka’s place at the apex of tennis, naturally, puts more eyes on her. Combining this with the sheer number of deep runs she puts together, and the Belarusian is arguably one of the most viewed players on the planet.
What makes her so special is the fact that, whilst being comfortably the best player in the world, she is still so raw and human whilst on court.
Who wins more Grand Slams in their career – Elena Rybakina or Aryna Sabalenka?
The Belarusian is emotional, and at times those emotions get the better of her.
However, she also has a superhuman talent that makes her so revered, combined with her desire to keep progressing, having added a deft touch to her game in recent years too.
Sabalenka, when not competing, is also hugely active on social media, displaying her bubbly personality in TikToks and Instagram posts that prove it is possible to balance her lifestyle with forging greatness.
Above all else, though, it’s arguably the rivalries she shares with the other top players on the WTA Tour that make her such a great representative for women’s tennis.
Aryna Sabalenka’s great rivalries with the top WTA players
Last night, Sabalenka won the latest iteration of her sparkling rivalry with Rybakina, thus narrowly extending her head-to-head record over her to nine wins and seven losses.
It was particularly captivating given the world number one had lost to the Kazakh in the Australian Open final earlier this year, and lost all of their last four meetings in finals.
They are the two best players in the world, and thus have the most captivating rivalry, with Sabalenka admitting she got lucky vs Rybakina to further add fuel to this fire.
However, Sabalenka promises a spectacle no matter who she faces.
Against Coco Gauff, historically, she has struggled to swat away the stubborn superstar, having lost two Grand Slam finals to her, but won plenty of other matches.
Jessica Pegula, who is enjoying a late-career renaissance, also provides ample competition for Sabalenka, even if she loses more than she wins.
Is Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina the best rivalry in women’s tennis right now?
If not, who is?
Iga Świątek is another who has enjoyed plenty of iconic battles with the WTA’s best player, even if her form has faltered in recent years.
Last year, we even saw Amanda Anisimova establish herself as a genuine threat to Sabalenka, and they engaged in some iconic battles in majors, which were celebrated as some of the best matches of 2025.
