Aryna Sabalenka has not won a title since she capped off her magical run to the Sunshine Double in Miami in Early April. But she’s still clinging to the No.1 ranking, and her chances of staying on top through Cincinnati and into the US Open increased with Elena Rybakina’s loss to Iga Swiatek in last night’s Toronto final.
Sabalenka starts the tournament with 8670 points, and she’s defending 215 at Cincy; Rybakina starts with 8316 points, and she is defending 390 points at Cincy.
Therefore, Sabalenka has 8465 and Rybakina has 7936 at the start of the tournament. If Sabalenka can reach the quarterfinals or semifinals, it means that Rybakina must win the title to rise to No.1.
If Sabalenka reaches the final she will survive the tournament as No.1 and will begin her 97th consecutive week at No.1.
Cincinnati Points Scenarios
| Player | TOR Result | 8/10/26 Pts | 2025 Cincy | R128 | R32 | R16 | QF | SF | RUP | WIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saba | R16 | 8670 | 215 | 8465 | 8520 | 8575 | 8670 | 8845 | 9105 | 9455 |
| Ryba | F | 8316 | 390 | 7936 | 7991 | 8046 | 8141 | 8316 | 8576 | 8926 |
Sabalenka can reach 100 consecutive weeks a week after the US Open (September 21) if she can hold off Rybakina at Flushing Meadows. But she’s defending champion’s points, while Rybakina is only defending fourth round points. That means she’ll start the tournament with a 1760 point bump. If Sabalenka can remain No.1 and make it to 100 consecutive weeks at No.1 she’d be the sixth WTA player to achieve the feat.
WTA Players to Reach 100 Consecutive Weeks at No.1
| Weeks | Player | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 186 | Steffi Graf | Aug 17, 1987 – Mar 10, 1991 |
| 186 | Serena Williams | Feb 18, 2013 – Sep 12, 2016 |
| 156 | Martina Navratilova | Jun 14, 1982 – Jun 9, 1985 |
| 114 | Ashleigh Barty | Sep 9, 2019 – Apr 3, 2022 |
| 113 | Chris Evert | May 10, 1976 – Jul 9, 1978 |
| 96 | Aryna Sabalenka | Oct 21, 2024 – present |
WTA Players Who Have Been No.1 for 100 or More Weeks
| Weeks | Player | Date Reached No. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 377 | Steffi Graf (GER) | August 17, 1987 |
| 332 | Martina Navratilova (USA) | July 10, 1978 |
| 319 | Serena Williams (USA) | July 8, 2002 |
| 260 | Chris Evert (USA) | November 3, 1975 |
| 209 | Martina Hingis (SUI) | March 31, 1997 |
| 178 | Monica Seles (USA) | March 11, 1991 |
| 125 | Iga Swiatek (POL) | April 4, 2022 |
| 121 | Ashleigh Barty (AUS) | June 23, 2019 |
| 117 | Justine Henin (BEL) | October 20, 2003 |
| 104 | Aryna Sabalenka | September 11, 2023 |
| 98 | Lindsay Davenport (USA) | October 12, 1998 |
What is a Black American woman to do about the US Open and yet another agonizing final to labor through with nary an American woman on the final ticket—again? Coco Gauff lost fairly, indeed; all the same, must we grin and bite our nails through our brittle defeats as two non-nationals—yet again—vie for the glory of the US Open title?
Alas, I will not be supporting women’s tennis. Perhaps I speak for other lifetime tennis amateurs or fans, but I fear that women’s tennis now only mirrors our totalitarian American government—a regime of one-sided restrictions and salutes. I allude to a wider problem here that has slowly leaked into my cherished sport. “It’s the economy, stupid,” as they say.
And women’s tennis suffers its poverty. So do television ratings.