Aryna Sabalenka has a new enemy: How Elena Rybakina became her biggest nightmare

For years, Aryna Sabalenkova’s biggest battle at the top of women’s tennis was with Iga Swiatek. The Belarusian and the Pole jockeyed for the top spot, Grand Slam titles and supremacy at the top.

But while Swiatek’s dominance has waned, another player has gradually emerged as a much more difficult opponent for Sabalenko.

Elena Rybakina.

The Kazakh has gone from one of Sabalenkova’s elite rivals to her most devastating enemy, especially when the biggest prizes are on the line. Rybak’s last shot came at the 2026 US Open, where defeated the defending champion 4-6, 7-5, 2-6 win his first title in New York.

For Sabalenka, the defeat capped a remarkable transformation in their rivalry. Rybakina has repeatedly found a way to hurt her precisely at the moments when the stakes are highest.

And now Sabalenkova is having a year she would like to forget at the Grand Slams. They will complete a season without a major win for the first time since 2022.

FROM SWIATEK TO RYBAKINA

Sabalenkova has had problems against Rybakina in the last 12 months. Courtesy: Reuters

There was a time when any conversation about Sabalenka’s position at the top of women’s tennis inevitably included Swiatek.

Sabalenka eventually established herself as a dominant force on hard courts, winning the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024 and adding the US Open in 2024 and 2025.

All four of Sabalenkova’s Grand Slam titles prior to this US Open came on hard courts.

This makes Rybaka’s appearance particularly significant.

She simply cannot beat Sabalenkova on the surface where the Belarusian is most comfortable. He does it with a play that directly challenges Sabalenka’s greatest strengths.

Rybakina has one of the greatest serves in the women’s game and combines it with flat, penetrating strokes. She can match Sabalenka’s first-hand tennis without being overwhelmed.

The result is a fascinating contrast: Sabalenka brings explosive emotion and power, while Rybakina brings an almost clinical calm. And more and more this peace is proving to be a nightmare for Sabalenka.

RYBAKINA PROMISES WHEN IT MATTERS MOST

Elena Rybakina ensured that Aryna Sabalenka finished 2026 without a Grand Slam. Courtesy: Reuters

The warning signs were already there at the end of 2025.

At the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Rybakina produced one of the greatest performances of her career, defeating world number one Sabalenkova 6-3, 7-6(0) in the final. She finished the tournament undefeated and won her first WTA Finals title.

Then came Melbourne.

The 2026 Australian Open final was another heavyweight contest between the pair. Sabalenková fought back after losing the first set, but Rybakina regained control and won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to win his second Grand Slam title.

The defeat was particularly painful as Sabalenka built a 3-0 lead in the deciding set before Rybakina turned the match around.

Sabalenka then gave a great answer. She beat Rybakina in the Indian Wells final to save a championship point before winning the deciding tie-break set 8–6 before beating her again in the Miami semifinals.

So it is not a rivalry in which Rybakina simply has Sabalenkova’s number. Far from it.

But when it came to the biggest trophies, Rybakina repeatedly proved that she could withstand even Sabalenkova.

I SABALENKA FORTRESS CRACKS

Sabalenka has not won a title since the Sunshine Double earlier this year. Courtesy: Reuters

The most striking element of Rybaka’s rise as Sabalenka’s nemesis is the surface on which she deals damage. Hard courts were Sabalenka’s kingdom.

Sabalenka arrived at Flushing Meadows after winning 20 consecutive matches at the US Open. She has also reached the final four years in a row, winning the previous two years.

Yet Rybakina has now beaten her in the two biggest hard-court finals of 2026. The Australian Open came first. The US Open followed.

The US Open final was particularly brutal because Sabalenkova looked so comfortable throughout the tournament. She dropped just one set before the final and dismantled Jessica Pegula in the semifinals to reach her fourth straight championship match in New York.

Against Rybakin, however, the equation changed.

Sabalenkova won the second set 7-5 after dropping the opener 6-4, seemingly swinging the momentum back in her favor. But Rybakina responded with a stunning deciding set.

The Kazakh took control early and never allowed Sabalenka to regain her rhythm. She won the final set 6-2, giving away 36 winning points and finishing with 11 fewer unforced errors than her opponent.

It wasn’t just a case of Rybakina surviving Sabalenka. She made Sabalenka look helpless in that final set.

RYBAKINA CHANGES THE BALANCE AT THE TOP

Elena Rybakina beats Sabalenkova in 2 hard-fought finals in 2026. Courtesy: Reuters

The significance of this rivalry goes beyond individual defeats.

Rybakina’s victory in New York capped a remarkable rise that took her from a struggling player at the US Open to the No. 1 player in women’s tennis.

Prior to 2026, New York was her least successful Grand Slam venue. She never advanced beyond the fourth round. She won the title this year.

Even before defeating Sabalenko in the final, Rybakina secured the top spot by reaching the semifinals. Her quarterfinal win over Zheng Qinwen guaranteed to end Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top.

This makes the timing of her breakthrough remarkable.

Rybakina did not become just another challenger to Sabalenka’s throne. She sat on the throne herself.

And yet the rivalry is far from one-sided. Sabalenkova entered the US Open final with a 10-7 lead over Rybakina and her defeat in New York means the head-to-head is now 10-8 overall.

This record is important because it shows how competitive this matchup is.

Rybakina is not some kryptonite that suddenly came to Sabalenka completely. Sabalenkova defeated her in the main final and won two of three meetings in 2026 before the US Open.

But Rybakina has developed the ability to make the Sabalens uncomfortable in the biggest moments. And this could be the defining development of women’s tennis in 2026.

For years, Sabalenka struggled to stay at the top ahead of Swiatek. The Rybakina is quieter, just as powerful and still more comfortable under the brightest lights.

Sabalenka may still lead their rivalry.

But after what happened in Melbourne and New York, there is no doubt who has become her worst enemy.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

13 Sep 2026 10:00 AM IST