Italian Open: How Elena Rybakina’s exit affects WTA Rankings No 1 battle with Aryna Sabalenka
Elena Rybakina’s quarter-final exit from the Italian Open has given Aryna Sabalenka a boost at the top of the WTA Rankings.
Sabalenka has been No 1 in the rankings for 82 consecutive weeks with her current stint starting back in October 2024, but Rybakina’s trophies at the Australian Open and Stuttgart Open have helped her to chip away at her rival’s lead.
The Belarusian started the Italian Open with 10,110 points in the rankings with Rybakina 1,555 points adrift in second place on 8,555 while Iga Swiatek was another 1,607 points behind in third place.
Sabalenka then suffered a shock third-round defeat at the hands of Sorana Cirstea, resulting in a 150-point loss as she was defending 215 points from her run to the quarter-final 12 months ago with her tally dropping 9,960 points in the Live Rankings.
With Rybakina – who was defending only 65 points from 2025 – reaching the quarter-final in Rome, the lead between the top was 1,255 points ahead of the Kazakh star’s match against Elina Svitolina.
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The reigning Australian Open champion had a golden opportunity to put pressure on Sabalenka at the top as a title run at Foro Italico would have resulted in the lead being reduced to a mere 470 points.
But Svitolina was in no mood for charity as the world No 10 produced a stunning comeback, beating Rybakina 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 23 minutes to set up a semi-final showdown with Iga Swiatek, who defeated Jessica Pegula.
Rybakina earned 150 points for her run to the quarter-final, putting her on 8,705 points in the Live Rankings with the lead remaining at 1,255 points.
What Is To Come
Both players have wrapped up their French Open warm-up schedule with the focus switching to the clay-court Grand Slam.
But there is a bit of good news for Sabalenka as her lead at the top will grow next week as Rybakina will drop 500 points as she won the Internationaux de Strasbourg 12 months ago.
The Kazakh star won’t defend her title, meaning the lead will be 1,755 points by the time Roland Garros gets underway on 24 May.
Four-time major champion Sabalenka finished runner-up to Coco Gauff in Paris in 2025, so she will drop 1,300 points at the start of the tournament, which will put her on 8,670 points.
Rybakina, meanwhile, lost in the fourth round against Swiatek last 12 months ago so will drop 240 points and will effectively be on 7,965 points.
The Kazakh star, though, will need to reach the final or win the tournament and hope that Sabalenka loses early if she is to climb to No 1 in the rankings after the French Open.
