Aryna Sabalenka faces an alarming statistic in 2026 that threatens her supremacy in world tennis. Despite being the number one in the rankings for the past two years, her performance this year has raised doubts about her ability to maintain dominance in the WTA.
The Belarusian tennis player, who lost in the final of the Australian Open, the semifinals of Roland Garros, and was eliminated in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, has yet to win any Grand Slam titles in 2026. This drop in effectiveness translates into a concerning figure: Sabalenka has won only nine sets this season with a decisive score of 6-0 or 6-1, a number significantly lower than some of her main rivals. Mirra Andreeva and Iga Swiatek lead this statistic with 20 sets won by those striking margins, followed by Coco Gauff with 18 and Diana Shnaider with 16.
Furthermore, the world number one has suffered “bagels” — sets lost to zero — in important matches. Recently, she was defeated 6-0 in the decisive set against Jessica Pegula in Berlin, shortly after experiencing the same setback in the semifinals of Roland Garros against Diana Shnaider. These results highlight that her dominance on the circuit is weakening, something Sabalenka will need to urgently address to avoid a more pronounced decline.
The difference of just 407 points in the ranking between Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, who occupies the second position, increases the pressure on the Belarusian, despite Rybakina not having maintained consistent form since her victory at the Australian Open. The absence of a Grand Slam title in this calendar is a worrying sign for Sabalenka, especially considering her inability to dominate matches with the same decisiveness as in previous years.
With 2000 points to defend at the US Open, this competition could be decisive in the battle for the top of the ranking. However, Sabalenka may benefit from her absence at the Canadian Open last year and her early exit in Cincinnati in 2025, which offers her an opportunity to consolidate her position with strong performances in these Masters tournaments.
The challenge is clear: to maintain her status as world number one, Sabalenka will need to regain her aggression and ability to impose clear results, avoiding the categorical defeats that have marked her season thus far. Otherwise, her lead may be at risk until the end of the year.
O MUNDIAL 2026 VIVE-SE COM A LEGO
AGORA PODE ACOMPANHAR O MUNDIAL DE FUTEBOL COM TODA INFORMAÇÃO – AQUI
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