Sabalenka ahead of US Open final vs Rybakina: 'Better not to anger me'

Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka acknowledged that Elena Rybakina deservedly took the top spot in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, but vowed to fight to reclaim the No. 1 position, infohub.kz reports.

In the semifinals of the 2026 US Open, Sabalenka defeated American Jessica Pegula in straight sets to reach the tournament's decisive match. The Belarusian assessed her own level of play in the semifinal: in her view, she made the right decisions on court that day and performed better than in previous matches against Pegula.

Sabalenka also spoke separately about her loss to Pegula in Berlin. According to the Belarusian, the American played such a strong match that she had virtually no opportunity to change the course of the encounter.

"No, in Berlin she played incredibly. There was little I could do. Because of that, today I felt I had few chances. But at the same time I understood that I had to be as focused as possible from start to finish. I think that's what helped me stay focused and perform at that level," Sabalenka said.

She then added: "Well, listen, I can't say about my opponent what you just said. And yes, better not to anger me."

Sabalenka acknowledged that she fully understands how difficult it is to become world No. 1. She also explained why she is calm about losing the top spot in the rankings.

"I understand perfectly well how hard it is to become world No. 1. It's enormous work. It was one of my goals. But right now there's little I can do. I didn't play very well in the middle of the season. And Elena played great and took the top spot," the athlete said.

At the same time, Sabalenka does not intend to give up the lead for long. She plans to focus on her own game and try to climb back to the top of the rankings.

"I can only focus on myself. Live in the present moment, try my hardest. The main thing is not to let her get too far ahead. And maybe I'll get the No. 1 spot back," the Belarusian said.

Earlier we reported that Elena Rybakina commented on reaching the final of the 2026 US Open.

Recall that Rybakina has reached the US Open final for the first time. She will compete for the title against Aryna Sabalenka, the champion of the previous two editions of the American hard-court major.

Moreover, based on the results of the last Grand Slam tournament of the season, Rybakina will become world No. 1. She will displace Sabalenka from the top of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.