President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has congratulated Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina, who for the first time in the country's history has topped the WTA world rankings, reports infohub.kz.
In his message, the head of state noted that reaching the top spot in the rankings is a sporting summit conquered thanks to phenomenal talent, colossal hard work, and unwavering self-belief. "With this historic achievement, you have brought glory to Kazakh sport and inscribed your name in the annals of world tennis. Your journey serves as an inspiring example for thousands of young athletes in our country and millions of tennis fans around the globe. I must also commend your high standards of conduct both on and off the court, in your interactions with a wide range of people, which clearly reflects your intelligence and upbringing," the congratulatory message reads.
Tokayev wished Rybakina to maintain her champion's mindset and confidently stride toward new accomplishments.
Earlier it was reported that Elena Rybakina had advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 US Open and would become the world's No. 1. After defeating Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals, the Kazakh player commented on her historic rise to the top of the rankings. She admitted that she felt intense pressure during the match but is not yet ready to attach special significance to her new status.
Rybakina defeated the Olympic champion from Paris 2024 in three sets: 3:6, 6:1, 6:4. The match lasted 2 hours and 14 minutes. With this victory, the 27-year-old reached her first US Open semifinal and secured the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings. She will officially assume the top position on Monday, becoming the 30th player in the history of the women's tour to hold the world No. 1 ranking.
After the match, Rybakina admitted that she struggled to find words to describe what had happened. "I don't know, it's hard to find words. It was a very tough match, of course, with a lot of nerves. It was a battle within myself. I'm glad I was able to push aside all negative thoughts, kept fighting, and I'm very happy to be in the semifinals here," Rybakina was quoted as saying by the US Open press service.
Rybakina's advancement to the semifinals means that Aryna Sabalenka will lose the top spot regardless of her further results at the US Open. The Belarusian had held the No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks. Earlier, Sabalenka had stated that she was willing to sacrifice the top ranking for a third consecutive US Open title. Rybakina, for her part, had called the ranking lead one of her goals before the quarterfinals but stressed that winning tournaments was more important to her.
In the US Open semifinals, Rybakina will face the winner of the match between Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva. This is the Kazakh player's first appearance in the final four at the New York major.