This is how the WTA Race stands before the 2026 US Open: Who are the best of the year?

Carlos Navarro - 26 Aug 2026 | 19:49
race WTA Elena Rybakina Aryna Sabalenka Iga Swiatek Marta Kostyuk

Maximum equality in the noble zone of the WTA: the ten best players of the year have won a major title so far in 2026, an impressive fact.

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Rybakina leads the WTA Race ahead of the 2026 US Open.

There is data and arguments that reinforce the idea that women's tennis is experiencing a sweet moment. Taking a look at the elite of the WTA reveals a plethora of great players who legitimize their roles through victories on the best stages of the planet. 2026 could be the year of greatest equality at the top in the history of rankings: the top ten of the season, led by Elena Rybakina, have all won a major title so far in 2026.

One of the many points of interest from now until the end of the year will undoubtedly be the battle for the number one in the world. The 2026 US Open will be the judge of a fierce battle in which up to four players could leave New York at the top of the rankings; who will end up leading in 2026 is an absolute mystery, with up to six players within less than 1000 points of each other. At the moment, the number one of the year is Rybakina, champion of the 2026 Australian Open: it will be crucial for her to compete in the upcoming US Open if she wants to keep her chances alive to stay at the top, overcoming physical discomfort that already forced her to withdraw in Cincinnati.

Intense fight to be in the 2026 WTA Finals: who will be the top eight?

From there, the best rackets in the world follow, and all, without exception, have a major trophy to validate their status. Aryna Sabalenka has yet to touch metal in terms of Slams, but her North American consistency and her fabulous performance in the Sunshine Double position her as the main challenger to the Kazakh. Mirra Andreeva, in turn, is just 1 point! away from the Belarusian: a great end to the year would make it possible for a 19-year-old teenager to finish the season as number one, which would be one of the great stories of recent times.

Pegula, Gauff, and Svitolina are stealthily approaching the three podium spots, supported by a magnificent hard court tour looking to find its peak at the US Open; Muchova and Noskova would add a Czech touch to the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, although there are two players very close, in good form, who complete the top-10 and will therefore fight for a ticket to the year-end tournament: Marta Kostyuk... and a Iga Swiatek who has fully entered the fray after getting her first title in Canada and reaching commendable semifinals in Cincinnati.

Similarities and differences with respect to the ATP Race: which circuit is healthier?

From the top-10, there is a clear gap in points (Swiatek has almost 1,000 points ahead of the eleventh-ranked, Victoria Mboko)... but these ten best players of the year leave an impressive statistic, grouping within less than 2,000 points and demonstrating the equality, unpredictability, and competitiveness of a circuit where there are always several strong candidates for the best titles on the planet.

If in the top-10 of the WTA year, all have conquered a major prize (WTA 1000 or better), the ATP picture is very different. Sinner dominates in Masters 1000 and adds a Grand Slam; Zverev legitimizes his second place with Roland Garros and great consistency in big tournaments; Alcaraz remains third despite not playing for five months... but there are several names that rank among the top ten without having won any major title: Flavio Cobolli (finalist at Roland Garros, yes, but with Acapulco, a 500, as his best title), Daniil Medvedev (his best title is a 250, Brisbane), Rafa Jódar (his best title is a 250, Marrakech), Frances Tiafoe (his best title is a 500, Halle), and a Taylor Fritz who barely makes the cut after winning the ATP 500 in Washington. While waiting for the best to start showing up regularly on the big stages, the men's top-10 is undergoing a regeneration process that, it seems, has already taken place in the women's circuit. A fact that sparks debate and that we must celebrate.

Así está la Race WTA antes del US Open 2026.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así está la Race WTA antes del US Open 2026: ¿Quiénes son las mejores del año?