WTA Rankings Race To Riyadh: Sabalenka closes gap to Rybakina, Mboko 5th, Gauff & Swiatek trailing
Elena Rybakina remains the leader in the Race to the WTA Finals, but Aryna Sabalenka has closed the gap to the Kazakh star after beating her in the 2026 Indian Wells final.
Sabalenka overcame Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in an epic Indian Wells championship match to claim her maiden title at the WTA 1000 event.
It was a rematch of the Australian Open final in January, which Rybakina won in three sets to secure her second Grand Slam.
What is the Race to Riyadh?
The eight women who earn the most ranking points in the 2026 season will qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals, which will be staged in Riyadh from 7 to 14 November. If a current-year Grand Slam winner finishes between ninth and 20th in the Race, they will take the eighth and final qualification spot.
The prestigious tournament, which was first held in 1972, is played on indoor hard-court at the King Saud University Indoor Arena.
Rybakina is the reigning WTA Finals champion having secured a record-breaking $5,235,000 for winning last year’s event.
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The players who finish ninth and 10th will travel to Saudi Arabia as alternates and have the chance to take the place of any players who withdraw.
The latest Race to Riyadh rankings after Indian Wells
Rybakina has moved onto 3,103 points having collected 650 points for her runner-up result in Indian Wells.
Sabalenka’s victory in Tennis Paradise has taken her onto 2,810 points, lifting her above both Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina.
Pegula and Svitolina both lost to Rybakina in Indian Wells — in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively — are they are now tied on 2,200 points.
Victoria Mboko has held onto fifth position in the Race after reaching the quarter-finals in Indian Wells, where she fell to Sabalenka.
Karolina Muchova, Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff all started Indian Wells in sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, and they have not moved.
Muchova made the last 16 in the Californian desert, while Andreeva and Gauff both exited in the third round.
Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek are level on 1,020 points.
Live WTA Race to Riyadh (as of 23 February)
1) Elena Rybakina – 3,103
2) Aryna Sabalenka – 2,810
3) Jessica Pegula – 2,200
4) Elina Svitolina – 2,200
5) Victoria Mboko – 1,722
6) Karolina Muchova – 1,565
7) Mirra Andreeva – 1,258
8) Coco Gauff – 1,055
Cutoff
9) Amanda Anisimova –1,020
10) Iga Swiatek – 1,020
11) Belinda Bencic – 874
12) Iva Jovic – 861
13) Cristina Bucsa – 771
14) Linda Noskova – 720
