Rybakina: "My next goal is to be No.1, I hope to achieve it this year"

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Weeks have passed and Elena Rybakina continues to demonstrate why she is the best player of the season. After defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, now the Kazakh will seek to repeat the same feat at Indian Wells.

She had to overcome Elina Svitolina in the semifinal during the early hours of this morning, a goal she achieved effortlessly, giving herself the opportunity to fight for another title. Everyone enjoys reaching these matches, especially if the world's best player is waiting for you there. However, Elena Rybakina has had a much more ambitious target in mind for a while. The Kazakh aims to become number one and knows that she cannot afford to miss out on this kind of opportunity. She made this clear in her latest press conference.

Ticket to the Indian Wells final

“Maybe it wasn't my best performance, but I am super happy to win this match and reach the final again. We have been working very well with the team; last year I started to achieve better results, although I admit that the extra confidence did not come until I began winning against opponents within my ranking. We are moving forward, and now I have a very good team around me, which makes me very happy. We are trying to improve every day, and gradually, the results are showing on the court.”

Aryna Sabalenka, her last rival this week

“Matches against her have always been very tough. Every time I play against Aryna, I know they will be difficult, even those where I serve well. I remember the final we played here in 2023, but since then, we have faced each other several times, so it will all depend on who manages those crucial moments better. We usually tend to follow a similar strategy, so we'll see who can play more aggressively and solidly at the same time.”

Elena Rybakina reveals her main goal in 2026

“It’s an achievement by Aryna, of course. Remaining as world No. 1 for so long is not easy; you have to be very consistent. She has shown the great tennis she possesses over these last two years. So, yes, my goal is to climb even higher in the rankings and one day reach that number one spot. I know I still have a lot of work ahead, although it also depends on what the other players do. Definitely, that is my biggest, next goal. I will try to do it this year, hoping it happens.”

Four wins in finals against Sabalenka

“Honestly, I haven't thought about any statistics. I lost against her in a final in Australia, not this year, but in 2023, but I always say the same: each match is different. Each day is different, each tournament; you can play well one day and then wake up the next not feeling your best. The key is to always find a way. We know each other's game very well, it's very physical, but here the ball is very heavy, and the rallies are a bit longer than on other hard courts, where everything tends to move faster. It will be a tough match for both of us; we will try to serve well and put pressure on each other, so we'll see what happens.”

Why does she perform so well against the top 10?

“It's a combination of several things, but I think I always played well when facing the best players in the world. Maybe the statistics weren't the same, and initially, I was losing many more tough matches, but with years of experience, I gained that consistency in my favor. Now I hope to continue moving forward, also because you gradually get to know the players. When you face the same opponent many times, you know what to expect, so I think that's another key.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rybakina: “Mi próximo objetivo es ser Nº1, espero hacerlo este año”