Elena Rybakina is not letting Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the Stuttgart Open distract her from the bigger picture. While the absence of the world No. 1 could have reshaped the narrative around the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Rybakina made it clear that her priorities remain unchanged. The Kazakh star is focused on steady improvement, as she continues her push toward the top ranking.
Elena Rybakina’s Strong Start to the 2026 Season Fuels Her Rise
That mindset comes on the heels of a strong start to the 2026 season. Rybakina captured the Australian Open title earlier in the year and backed it up with deep runs across the Sunshine Double. She finished runner-up at Indian Wells and reached the semifinals in Miami.
At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Rybakina opened her campaign in the second round with a three-set win over Hailey Baptiste, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2, before finding her rhythm in the third round against Marta Kostyuk, winning 6-4, 6-4. She moved through the Round of 16 after Sonay Kartal withdrew mid-match, leading 6-4, 4-3.
In the quarterfinals, she faced fifth seed Jessica Pegula, winning a straight-sets encounter 6-1, 7-6(4), and followed it up with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over ninth seed Elina Svitolina in the semifinals. The final was a rematch of the Australian Open title bout against Sabalenka; Rybakina took the first set but eventually fell in a nearly three-hour marathon, losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(6).
The Miami Open saw Rybakina maintain her momentum. She started with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Yulia Putintseva and repeated her Indian Wells success against Kostyuk in the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. She then overwhelmed Talia Gibson 6-2, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals, where she met Pegula for the second time in two weeks.
In a grueling physical battle, Rybakina rallied from a set down to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Her run concluded in the semifinals, where she was once again thwarted by Sabalenka, losing 4-6, 3-6. The competitive edge between the two has added weight to every meeting, making Sabalenka’s Stuttgart withdrawal a notable development heading into the clay swing.
MORE: Elena Rybakina Finally Shows Up in Stuttgart After Fans Raise Concerns About Her Absence
How Is Rybakina Approaching Aryna Sabalenka’s Absence in Stuttgart?
Speaking during her pre-tournament press conference in Stuttgart, Rybakina downplayed any added motivation tied to Sabalenka’s absence. “I don’t really think about it so much, because she’s not here, but I still need to perform. That’s the first thing,” she said. “If I do the right things, I think the most important to get, achieve this and somehow to maintain, and it’s very difficult, yeah, difficult goal, and I’m working for it, so hopefully it will happen.”
Rather than tracking ranking points week by week, she pointed to a broader approach centered on results and consistency deep into tournaments. “I don’t really look at the points each tournament. I just know that I need to do well, at this point to come almost till the end of the tournament no matter what I play. Yeah, it’s mostly about improvement and consistency. If it happens, it’s great.”
Looking ahead, Rybakina received a bye into the second round, where she will take on Diana Shnaider. This will be their first meeting on the WTA Tour, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals, where they will face either Leylah Fernandez or the winner of the first round match between Zeynep Sönmez and the fifth seed Jasmine Paolini.
