{"id":1828054,"date":"2026-03-15T13:45:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T10:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1828054"},"modified":"2026-03-15T13:45:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T10:45:21","slug":"elena-rybakina-confirms-wta-rankings-goal-with-star-set-for-new-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1828054","title":{"rendered":"Elena Rybakina confirms WTA Rankings &#8216;goal&#8217; with star set for new milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Elena Rybakina confirms WTA Rankings \u2018goal\u2019 with star set for new milestone<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/oli-dickson-jefford\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Oli Dickson Jefford                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"15 Mar 2026 1:45 PM\" data-ps-date=\"15 Mar 2026 1:45 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1773582321\"><br \/>\n                            15 Mar 2026 1:45 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                       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<\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Elena Rybakina confirms WTA Rankings \u2018goal\u2019 with star set for new milestone\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Elena-Rybakina-Sabalenka-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka.\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                WTA Tour stars Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka                             <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Elena Rybakina has confirmed that reaching world No 1 is her \u201cbiggest goal\u201d ahead of achieving a new milestone in the WTA Rankings.<\/p>\n<p>World No 3 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/elena-rybakina\">Rybakina<\/a> is the reigning WTA Finals and Australian Open champion, and will look to lift her second Indian Wells title later on Sunday, with the Kazakh facing world No 1 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/aryna-sabalenka\">Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> in the final.<\/p>\n<p>Rybakina beat Sabalenka to lift the Indian Wells title back in 2023, and also defeated the world No 1 in both the WTA Finals final last November <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/australian-open\/elena-rybakina-explains-key-change-australian-open-final-win-over-sabalenka\">and the Australian Open final back in January<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, regardless of how she fares on Sunday afternoon, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/wta-rankings-elena-rybakina-overtakes-iga-swiatek-exits-indian-wells-open\">the 26-year-old is guaranteed to reach a new career-high of world No 2 in the WTA Rankings on Monday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Rybakina\u2019s run to the final, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/wta-tour\/iga-swiatek-points-and-prize-money-earned-after-indian-wells-open-exit\">coupled with a quarter-final exit for world No 2 Iga Swiatek<\/a>, means that she is already ahead of the Pole in the WTA Live Rankings, and could hold a significant points lead over the six-time Grand Slam champion should she lift the title.<\/p>\n<p>Come Monday, the only women ahead of Rybakina in the WTA Rankings will be four-time Grand Slam singles champion Sabalenka, who will be marking an impressive 82nd week atop the rankings.<\/p>\n<p>Sabalenka has remained unchallenged at the top since regaining the world No 1 ranking from Swiatek back in October 2024, after initially spending eight weeks at the top in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Rybakina cannot challenge Sabalenka\u2019s status in Indian Wells, though when speaking after her semi-final win against Elina Svitolina, the two-time major winner admitted it was a significant target.<\/p>\n<h2>Tennis News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/aryna-sabalenka-message-elena-rybakina-indian-wells-final-2026\">Aryna Sabalenka \u2018so done with losing big finals\u2019 ahead of Elena Rybakina Indian Wells showdown<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/the-surprising-final-statistic-that-gives-elena-rybakina-an-edge-over-aryna-sabalenka-ahead-of-indian-wells-meeting\">The surprising final statistic that gives Elena Rybakina an edge over Aryna Sabalenka ahead of Indian Wells meeting<\/a><\/p>\n<p>She said: \u201cShe [Sabalenka] showed great tennis for the past couple of years, so of course my goal is to get even higher in the ranking, to get this position as No 1, but I know it\u2019s still a lot of work. It all depends on the other players too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, definitely that\u2019s my biggest goal, next goal. So, yeah, I will try to do it this year, and hopefully it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Can Rybakina really challenge Sabalenka for No 1?<\/h2>\n<p>Sabalenka will still hold a 2,542-point lead over Rybakina even if she loses the final in Indian Wells, and will have a 3,242-point lead over the Kazakh if she prevails to lift the title.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, the odds will still be in the world No 1\u2019s favour for some time \u2014 though Rybakina will have opportunities to catch up.<\/p>\n<p>In the coming months, Sabalenka has 1,000 points to defend as both the Miami Open and Madrid Open champion, while she has significant Grand Slam points to defend across the rest of the year.<\/p>\n<p>The Belarusian has 1,300 French Open final points, 780 Wimbledon semi-final points, and 2,000 US Open champion points across the rest of the season to her name.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, Rybakina has only 240 round-four points to defend at both the French Open and US Open, and just 130 round-three points at Wimbledon.<\/p>\n<p>Considering her start to 2026, there is a sense that Rybakina could better those results at all three remaining Slams this year, applying pressure on Sabalenka.<\/p>\n<p>Rybakina will have 500 Strasbourg International points to defend in May, but will then not have any significant points to defend until the Asian swing.<\/p>\n<p>She will certainly have the chance to gain ground in the next few months, though it would be unwise to ignore Sabalenka\u2019s supreme consistency at the top.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read Next<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/alcaraz-stunned-sinner-gains-ground-rybakina-advantage-swiatek-breaks-silence-indian-wells\">Alcaraz stunned as Sinner gains ground, Rybakina\u2019s advantage, Swiatek breaks silence \u2013 Indian Wells roundup<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"kwizly-quiz kwizly-W0q6MO\" data-nosnippet=\"\" data-quiz-type=\"poll|mpu\"><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elena Rybakina confirms WTA Rankings \u2018goal\u2019 with star set for new milestone Oli Dickson Jefford 15 Mar 2026 1:45 PM WTA Tour stars Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka Elena Rybakina has confirmed that reaching world No 1 is her \u201cbiggest goal\u201d ahead of achieving a new milestone in the WTA Rankings. World No 3 Rybakina [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1828054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1828054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828054\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1828054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1828054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1828054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}