Elena Rybakina sends a warning to the world number one, but she refuses to get carried away

Elena Rybakina may be within striking distance of the world number one, but the Kazakh is refusing to let the prospect distract her from her Wimbledon campaign.

The reigning Australian Open champion has secured a place in the third round of Wimbledon 2026 with an impressive 6-1, 6-2 victory over American Caty McNally on center court. The 2022 Wimbledon champion needed just over an hour to win, underscoring why she remains one of the favorites for the title.

Wimbledon 2026 – 4th Update

Rybakina entered the grass Grand Slam as the closest opponent to the current world number one Aryna Sabalenkova, trailing the Belarusian by 947 points in the ranking. With Sabalenkova defending significantly more points from last year’s semi-final run and Rybakina only having points from the third round to defend, the Kazakh has a real chance to climb to the top of the WTA rankings if results improve over the next week.

‘I try not to think about it’

Despite the growing excitement surrounding the ranking race, Rybakina insisted she was only focused on the task ahead, rather than the chance to become world No.1 for the first time.

Asked if winning Wimbledon could propel her to the top of the rankings, she said: “Honestly, I try not to think about it. I need to focus on one match at a time. All the opponents are tough. You never know when you’re going to wake up. Sometimes you need to fight certain things.”

The 27-year-old emphasized that her priority is to continue to improve rather than obsess over the rankings.

“I’m just trying to improve. I’m glad it’s improved. I hope I can continue like this. Hopefully it will happen soon. If not, I’ll keep working,” she added.

Rybaka’s measured response reflects the mindset behind one of the best seasons of her career. After defeating Sabalenko to win the Australian Open in January, she has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the tour and is once again thriving on grass, the surface on which she will win her first Grand Slam title in 2022.

But her journey to the top of the rankings is not entirely in her hands. Rybakina must continue her deep run at Wimbledon and hope that Sabalenkova drops important points in the rankings.

If the results fall in her favor, the Kazakh could leave the All England Club not only with a second Wimbledon crown, but also as the first player from Kazakhstan to become world number one.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

03 Jul 2026 01:32 IST