Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka’s battle for the world No. 1 ranking is heating up ahead of the US Open. As she continues her stellar campaign at the Canadian Open, Rybakina has candidly opened up about the constant attention surrounding the race for the top spot.
Elena Rybakina Explains Her Mindset About the World No. 1 Ranking
Rybakina has repeatedly had to rely on her impressive fighting spirit during her run at the WTA 1000 event, while triumphing over Daria Kasatkina, Ann Li, and Liudmila Samsonova to reach the quarterfinals.
The world No. 2 produced another gritty display against Naomi Osaka in the final eight. After losing the opening set, Rybakina battled back from a 2-4 deficit in the second set and went on to save four crucial break points in the decider, sealing a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory to advance to the semifinals in Toronto.
If Rybakina goes on to clinch the Canadian Open title, she will climb to 8,666 ranking points, leaving her just four points away from world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (8,670). Despite being so close to attaining the top spot for the first time in her career, the Kazakh is paying no attention to the rankings.
When asked whether the ranking was on her mind during an appearance on the Tennis Channel, Rybakina humorously conveyed her exasperation as she revealed that she only thought about it because reporters kept bringing it up.
“No, you guys are asking me all the time. Only when you ask, I have to think about it. No. I’m just staying in present, trying to focus on a match at a time and not looking at the ranking, not following. So for me, it’s just important go match by match and hopefully win titles,” Rybakina said.
Rybakina speaking to Andrea Petkovic and Mark Petchey after beating Naomi Osaka in Toronto
“Are you thinking about the No. 1 ranking?”
Elena: “No, you guys are asking me all the time. Only when you ask, I have to think about it 😂😂😂😂. No. I’m just staying in present trying… pic.twitter.com/zdCZ6u68ji
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 12, 2026
Rybakina also looked ahead to her highly anticipated semifinal showdown against Coco Gauff, which will be only their second tour-level encounter. The Kazakh braced herself for a tough match while recalling their sole previous meeting at the 2022 Canadian Open, where Gauff secured a 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(3) triumph.
“We practice quite a lot on the tournament, so we know each other pretty well, even if we played only once. I think it was here in Toronto, but many years ago. She’s a fighter, and I definitely need to bring my energy, serve well, and I think right now it’s really important to recover and somehow be fresh for tomorrow,” she said.
If Elena Rybakina triumphs over Coco Gauff, she will face the winner of the match between Iga Świątek and Elina Svitolina in the Canadian Open final.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka will focus on gearing up for her campaign at the Cincinnati Open. Following a first-round bye, she will lock horns with either Talia Gibson or a qualifier in her opening match at the WTA 1000 event.
