Elena Rybakina outlines her main WTA Tour goal for the rest of the 2026 season
Elena Rybakina has undoubtedly been the best player on the WTA Tour this year stastically, but she has produced some strange performances and endured some strange results.
The star is yet to taste victory since lifting the US Open title in September, having lost her opening round match at the China Open to Alina Charaeva.
That was not the only early exit Rybakina has suffered in 2026 either, as she was beaten in the opening round of the Berlin Open and the second round of Roland Garros.
Rybakina is looking to return to winning ways at the Ningbo Open, which is the penultimate WTA 500 tournament of the 2026 season.
Speaking at her pre-tournament press conference, Rybakina outlined her remaining goals for the 2026 season, with the WTA Finals still to come.
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“First of all, it’s very nice to be back [at the Ningbo Open]. I have amazing memories, and hopefully I can win it once more; we’ll see,” said Rybakina.
“Right now I feel it’s important to try to finish as number one and push for a couple more weeks, because I feel like the season has been successful but also long.
“So now I’m focusing on my health, trying to manage the fitness, matches and everything to be able to finish strong.”
Rybakina will await the winner of Cristina Bucsa and Polina Kudermetova in the second round of the Ningbo Open.
Matches with the likes of Belinda Bencic, Iva Jovic, and Alex Eala could also be on the horizon at the Chinese tournament before the final, so the world No 1 will need to be at her best to return to winning ways.
Following the Ningbo Open, Rybakina will turn her attentions toward defending her WTA Finals title.
Rybakina beat Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka in the knockout rounds to lift the title for the first time in her career and she will begin the tournament as the favourite, thanks to her world No 1 status.
However, history dictates that world No 1 will find it difficult to defend the WTA Finals.
No players has managed back-to-back WTA Finals since Serena Williams in 2013 and 2014. In fact, the WTA Finals has crowned a first-time winner in every year since, so it could be another surprise victor at the WTA Finals this year.
This year’s event will take place at Indian Wells for the first time, having moved form Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. It will take place between November 8th and 15th.
Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Linda Noskova, Elina Svitolina, and Pegula have already confirmed their names for the event.
