Aryna Sabalenka is not going through her best moment and arrives at Wimbledon 2026 feeling the pressure of needing to improve if she wants to compete for another Grand Slam title in her record, but also to defend her position as number 1 in the WTA ranking. She is closely followed by Elena Rybakina, who has serious chances of snatching that privileged position from the Belarusian.
There are plenty of reasons to think that a change at the top of the WTA ranking could occur. Sabalenka's momentum has not been good in recent months, having been unable so far to reach the final of Wimbledon, so grass is not her preferred surface. On the other hand, Elena Rybakina is aware of the great opportunity she has, defending only 130 points for falling in the third round last year at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, while the Belarusian defends the 780 points as the reigning semifinalist.
Beyond mathematics, the sporting context adds even more uncertainty to the equation. Sabalenka lands in London going through one of the most delicate moments of the season from an emotional point of view, while Rybakina faces the grass court swing on a surface that historically has brought out the best version of her tennis. Everything points to Wimbledon becoming the definitive stage to decide who will lead the women's circuit during the second half of the year.
Aryna Sabalenka arrives at Wimbledon with unprecedented doubts in 2026
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed difficult to imagine Sabalenka showing up at Wimbledon surrounded by so many uncertainties. The world number one has dominated much of the season and continues to lead the ranking with some authority, but the recent feelings have not been particularly positive.

The Belarusian has publicly admitted that she needed psychological help after her traumatic elimination at Roland Garros, a defeat that affected her much more than usual and even led her to seek a specialist to manage the emotional blow. To add to this is a fact that is hard to ignore: her two most recent defeats have ended with a 6-0 in the final set. First it was Diana Shnaider who left her speechless in Paris and this week Jessica Pegula repeated the pattern in the semifinals in Berlin.
It doesn't necessarily mean that Sabalenka is in crisis. She remains the world number one, she continues to be one of the most dominant players on the circuit, and she has enough weapons to aim for the title. However, she does convey an unusual vulnerability in a player who had built her success precisely on an increasingly solid mental strength over much of the past years.
And that becomes especially important at Wimbledon, a tournament where she has never managed to lift the trophy despite reaching the semifinals on three occasions.
Elena Rybakina finds a golden opportunity at Wimbledon
If there is a player capable of taking advantage of any slight crack in Sabalenka's armor, that is Elena Rybakina. The Kazakh arrives in London with a huge strategic advantage in the ranking. While Sabalenka will automatically lose the 780 points from her 2025 semifinals, Rybakina will only see the disappearance of the 130 points from the third round reached last year. This difference makes Wimbledon an extraordinary opportunity to close the gap.

Furthermore, grass has always been a particularly favorable surface for her tennis. Her service, one of the most effective on the women's circuit, gains even more value in these conditions, while her ability to hit flat and take the initiative from the first exchange fits perfectly with the grass requirements.
It is worth remembering that Rybakina already knows what it means to triumph at Wimbledon. Her 2022 title confirmed that she has all the necessary tools to dominate in London, and whenever she returns to the All England Club, she automatically emerges as one of the top contenders for the trophy.
Although her preparation has not been perfect and she recently suffered an unexpected defeat to Alexandra Eala in Berlin, the general feeling is that the Kazakh has room to grow as the tour progresses.
Scenarios in the battle for the number 1 spot in the WTA ranking between Sabalenka and Rybakina at Wimbledon
Taking the current ranking points as a reference and discounting the results both defend from Wimbledon 2025, here would be their potential scores based on the round reached this year.
| Round | Sabalenka | Rybakina |
|---|

