WTA Elena Rybakina US Open 2026 Steffi Graf

The most shocking statistic of the night: Rybakina joins the table of Serena and Graf

Fernando Murciego - 13 Sep 2026
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The most shocking statistic of the night: Rybakina sits at the table with Serena and Graf. Source: Getty

Elena Rybakina has entered tonight into a territory reserved for two of the greatest legends in tennis history. Her victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open 2026 final allows her to become one of only three players who, since the WTA ranking was established in 1975, have a winning percentage greater than 50% against players who held the world number one ranking.

Until tonight, Rybakina was already part of this exclusive group with a 52.9% success rate against ranking leaders. Now, after defeating Sabalenka in the New York final, her percentage rises even higher, solidifying a statistic she shares only with Serena Williams and Steffi Graf.

Serena has the best record among the three, with a 58.6% win rate against players who were world number ones. Graf follows closely behind with a 57.8%, while Rybakina stands at the 52.9% she had before her latest encounter with Sabalenka. This statistic gains even more value considering that we are not speaking simply of matches against great champions, but of matches played when those rivals were officially ranked at the top of the world. That is, against the best player on the planet according to the WTA ranking.

A scenario in which Rybakina seems to feel particularly comfortable. The US Open final proved it once again. Sabalenka arrived as the world number one, the reigning champion of the tournament, and a contender for her third consecutive title in New York. Today, Rybakina not only halted that attempt, but she also did so in a highly demanding match, ultimately taking the world number one ranking from her.

The triumph signifies much more than a new Grand Slam title. Rybakina now has ten victories against players who held the world number one ranking, a figure that perfectly explains her place among the greatest specialists in history for this type of match. Serena, Graf, and Rybakina. Give me a better stat.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La estadística más bruta de la noche: Rybakina se sienta en la mesa de Serena y Graf