Elena Rybakina’s nightmare grass season just got worse. The world No.2 suffered another shocking early exit at the 2026 Berlin Ladies Open, falling in the first round to Alex Eala and handing Aryna Sabalenka breathing room in the race for the WTA world No.1 ranking.
Rybakina entered Berlin with a real shot to close the gap on Sabalenka after strong performances leading into the French Open. Instead, her hopes continue to slip away with straight-up upsets: first at Queen’s Club against Katie Boulter, and now this opening-round loss to the surging Filipino star Eala.
The numbers tell the story. Sabalenka currently leads the live rankings with 9,003 points to Rybakina’s 8,143 — a gap of 860 points. Had Rybakina outperformed Sabalenka in Berlin, she could have narrowed it significantly. Instead, Sabalenka has the chance to pull further ahead.
The Belarusian powerhouse, who has held the top spot since October 2024, faces wildcard Nikola Bartunkova in the quarterfinals. A win there would restore the gap to 947 points. Reaching the final would push it to 1,077, while lifting the title would stretch it to a commanding 1,252 points.
Rybakina’s recent form is raising eyebrows ahead of Wimbledon. She hasn’t beaten a top-20 player since May, adding pressure as the grass-court major looms.
But it’s not over yet for the Kazakh star. She heads to the Bad Homburg Open next week with zero points to defend, offering a golden opportunity to claw back ground. Wimbledon presents another big swing — Sabalenka has 780 points to drop from last year’s semifinal, while Rybakina only defends 130.
The WTA No.1 battle remains one of the most compelling storylines in women’s tennis. Sabalenka is currently in control, but Rybakina’s fighting spirit and upcoming schedule mean the race is far from decided.
Can Rybakina turn things around on grass, or will Sabalenka tighten her stranglehold on the rankings? Tennis fans are glued to every point.
