Sabalenka's plans to take away Rybakina's number 1 position in the WTA Race in Wuhan
Aryna Sabalenka needs to accumulate victories that will help her emerge from the deep crisis of form, results, and confidence in which she finds herself. The WTA 1000 Wuhan 2026 starting this Monday could be a great opportunity for that, serving as an ideal stage for the Belarusian to regain her best tennis and face the last major event of the year in a few weeks, the WTA Finals 2026.
The negative dynamic that Sabalenka has been in for months has caused her to surrender the number 1 ranking in the world to Elena Rybakina, who is having a fantastic season. However, it’s not all good for the Kazakh. Her absence in Wuhan opens up the landscape in the battle to be the best in the world at the end of the year, giving Aryna renewed hopes.
Sabalenka will be number 1 in the WTA Race if she becomes champion in Wuhan
Indeed, if the Belarusian wins the last WTA 1000 of the season, she will surpass Rybakina in the WTA Race. While it's true that the Kazakh would remain at the top of the WTA ranking, what needs to be considered is the ranking that reflects the results of the current season, which will prevail at the end of the year, balancing with the ranking.
Therefore, a strong performance from Aryna Sabalenka would allow her to fully enter the battle and challenge Elena Rybakina's supremacy in the standings. It will be very interesting to see what happens in this WTA 1000 Wuhan 2026, which presents a great field of opportunities for the Belarusian.
Additionally, both Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula could also fully engage in the fight for the number 1 in the world by the end of the season. If either of them wins, they will arrive at the WTA Finals with serious chances of surpassing Rybakina and Sabalenka.
This is how the WTA Race stands before the Wuhan tournament
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las cuentas de Sabalenka para quitar a Rybakina el número 1 de la Race WTA en Wuhan