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Elena Rybakina shares her main goal for the rest of the season as the WTA Finals draw closer

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina is targeting a strong finish to her historic 2026 season, beginning with a title defense at the Ningbo Open, where she triumphed last year by overcoming a setback in the final against Ekaterina Alexandrova.

The Kazakh superstar, who has already claimed the Australian Open and US Open this season, is aiming to remain atop the WTA rankings and secure consecutive WTA Finals victories—a feat last achieved by Serena Williams in 2014. After a mixed Asian swing, including an early exit at the China Open and a withdrawal from Wuhan, Rybakina is focused on maintaining peak fitness to compete at the year-end tournament in Indian Wells, where she is the defending champion.

Her path to the Ningbo Open final includes potential clashes with Belinda Bencic, Jelena Ostapenko, or Maja Chwalinska, while Iga Swiatek looms as a formidable opponent on the opposite side of the draw, pushing for WTA Finals qualification herself. With the WTA Finals featuring a star-studded lineup including Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, and Coco Gauff, Rybakina’s ability to sustain her dominance will be critical in her bid for back-to-back championships.

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