Elena Rybakina’s commanding run on the WTA Tour isn’t just confined to her Australian Open triumph, as the Kazakh appears to have an even brighter future ahead. Her dominance looks set to endure, with former American pro Steve Johnson backing her and warning that she could pose a threat to the very top of the women’s game, including Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and others.
Former Pro Says Elena Rybakina’s Form Spells Trouble for Top Contenders Like Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff
Rybakina’s rich vein of form has sparked widespread discussion among pundits, with former World No. 21 Johnson among those weighing in. Speaking on Tennis Channel, Johnson pointed to how her success against the world’s top players never seems to faze her.
“This is the best I think I have seen her play. Even that’s dating back to when she won the Wimbledon a few years ago. And this has just been continued success for her. Week in, week out, she is going after beating the best players in the world, and it doesn’t faze her,” he said.
“This is the best I’ve seen her play” 👑
With 🔟 wins in a row against the top 10, Elena Rybakina is on another level right now 📈 pic.twitter.com/Etigq76PuU
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 2, 2026
The 36-year-old added that Rybakina is growing increasingly comfortable both at the peak of her game and at the top of the rankings, and that is an ominous sign for her peers, including Sabalenka, Gauff, and others competing at the same level. Sabalenka fell short in the Australian Open final, while Gauff exited in the quarterfinals at the hands of Elina Svitolina.
“She looks like she’s getting more and more comfortable on that stage, which is a bad sign for the women at the top of the game, because she is here to stay,” Johnson said. “There’s gonna be a couple more big trophies in her future this season. She’s won 10 straight — her last 10 straight matches — against top-10 opponents. So the big-name players she’s taking care of pretty well.”
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Rybakina’s form surged in the latter half of the 2025 season, with the return of her coach Stefano Vukov proving pivotal to that upswing. Under his guidance, she captured the Ningbo Open, reached the semifinals in Tokyo, and capped off the year by winning the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
The Croatian coach had been handed a one-year ban last year after the WTA found evidence of verbal abuse. However, a successful appeal paved the way for his return to the tour ahead of the 2025 US Open.
The World No. 3 has not looked back since, with her trajectory trending upward in the manner she had long awaited after winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Carrying that momentum into the 2026 season, she reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane before arriving in Melbourne for the Australian Open.
What stood out throughout her run was her grit and, more importantly, her composure, which carried her smoothly into the final without dropping a set. The Kazakh was tested by World No. 1 Sabalenka in the championship match and even fell behind 3–0 in the deciding set. However, she held her nerve, rallying to secure a 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 victory and claim her second Grand Slam title.
Although Rybakina’s Australian Open triumph points to a clear upward trajectory, it remains to be seen whether she can sustain that level and consistently trouble her closest rivals in the tournaments to come.
