Elena Rybakina reaches world number one after US Open victory

Elena Rybakina has reached the number one spot in the WTA rankings following her victory at the 2026 US Open, where she defeated Belarus's Arina Sabalenka. In recognition of her achievement, Kazakh President Kasim-Jomart Tokaev awarded Rybakina the Order of ‘Baris’ (III class), one of the nation's highest distinctions.

This success is viewed as a milestone for Kazakhstan's long-term investment in tennis infrastructure. Since 2007, the government has allocated over $200 million to the sport, expanding from 55 courts to a system that hosts approximately 250 tournaments annually, including ITF, ATP Challenger, and Tennis Europe events. This development has aimed to make tennis more accessible to local youth and reduce the need for players to travel to Europe for high-level competition.