Aryna Sabalenka Has No Problem Losing World No. 1 Spot To Elena Rybakina At US Open 2026, But ‘Three-Peat Sounds Great’

Aryna Sabalenka is not losing sleep over the possibility of Elena Rybakina taking away her world No. 1 ranking at the US Open. If anything, the defending champion seems to have found a rather sweet way of looking at it.

Sabalenka was asked after her quarterfinal victory over Linda Noskova whether she would be happy if Rybakina became world No. 1. Her answer was immediate. “Yes I’ll be more than happy. Whatever. I don’t mind.”

And when she was asked whether that would mean more to her if she could replace the ranking pressure with a chance at a third straight US Open title, Sabalenka smiled at the idea.

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Why stop at two? 👀

Rybakina needs one more win in New York to move to No. 1. The Kazakh has been in superb form despite arriving at the tournament with serious doubts over her fitness after an ankle injury forced her to retire in Cincinnati. She has since reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set.

The 2026 Australian Open champion will face Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals, knowing victory would officially take the top ranking away from Sabalenka.

For Sabalenka, however, the equation is simpler. She wants the trophy.

The Belarusian has spent much of the tournament trying to keep the outside noise at arm’s length. That includes the constant conversation around her match results. Asked whether being in that position ever gives her a “me against the world” feeling, Sabalenka laughed it off.

“No… why… no,” she said. “I was just focused on myself.”

Sabalenka said she finds it amusing watching people judge players, doubt them and create theories around what is happening away from the court.

“For me it’s just been funny to see how people are crazy about someone else.”

Sabalenka was asked if it has felt like it’s her against the world when people are scrutinizing her results, ‘For me it’s just funny to see how people are judging someone, guessing, doubting, coming up with random theories about someone else’

“When you’re in the position you’ve…

That mindset has become particularly important after what happened to her at the Australian Open last year, when she fell short of completing another three-peat bid.

This time, she wants to shut everything else out. “What I learned from Australia is it’s really important to shut down all of the noises and having that on the back of your mind,” Sabalenka said. “It’s nothing wrong about that, just as long as you’re focusing on yourself, as long as you’re ready to fight.”

The Kazakh entered the US Open with doubts about whether she would even be able to compete after her Cincinnati injury. Yet she has transformed that uncertainty into one of the most impressive runs of the tournament.

She dismantled Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 in the fourth round to reach the US Open quarterfinals for the first time, and that victory left her just one win away from becoming the new world No. 1.

“The No. 1 ranking is, of course, one of the goals,” Rybakina said. “But I think the main focus for me, for the team, is to win the titles, and then the ranking will follow up.”