Aryna Sabalenka has once again managed to hang onto top spot in the WTA Rankings while there were big wins for Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Alex Eala, but Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini suffered drops.

World No 1 Sabalenka has been a woman under pressure since the French Open as Elena Rybakina has been within striking distance since June, but the Kazakh star has so far failed to make the most of her opportunities.

Her latest chance was at the Cincinnati Open as Sabalenka’s fourth-round exit meant a run to the final would have secured her the No 1 position, but the two-time Grand Slam winner exited in the quarter-final as a leg injury forced her to retire from her match against Swiatek.

It means Sabalenka will remain top heading into the US Open with the gap reduced to just 434 points, and Rybakina will get another chance at Flushing Meadows as the four-time Grand Slam winner is the defending champion in New York, so will drop 2,000 points.

But Rybakina herself is now under pressure as Jessica Pegula is just 876 points adrift in third place following her runners-up finish at the Cincinnati Open with Coco Gauff another 561 points adrift after winning the title in Ohio.

WTA News

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova is up two spots to a new high of No 6 while the biggest dropper in the top 10 was Swiatek as she is -3 and slips to No 8 as she was the defending champion in Cincinnati but lost in the semi-final against Pegula.

Outside the top 10, there were small boosts for Iva Jovic, who is up two places to No 14, Sorana Cirstea (+2 to No 17) and Alex Eala (+2 to No 18) with Jovic and Eala securing new career highs.

Paolini finished runner-up to Swiatek in 2025, but the Italian was unable to play this year due to injury and, as a result, she is down five places to No 20.

Sara Bejlek was one of the stars of the Cincinnati Open as she stunned world No 1 Sabalenka in the fourth round and Madison Keys in the quarter-final before losing against Gauff.

The Czech youngster is rewarded with a six-place jump to a new high of No 29.

Other players who have earned new career highs in the top 100 are Janice Tjen (No 35), Nikola Bartunkova (No 38), Alina Korneeva (No 67), Lanlana Tararudee (No 72), Hanne Vandewinkel (No 77), Mananchaya Sawangkaew (No 97) and Taylah Preston (No 100).

In terms of big jumpers, Diane Parry is +16 to No 50, Katie Boulter is +11 to No 60, Elena-Gabriela Ruse +11 to No 63, Xiyu Wang +26 to No 82, Emiliana Arango +11 to No 84 and Anna Blinkova +17 to No 94.

Boulter’s surge plus a nine-place drop from Emma Raducanu has resulted in the former taking over as British No 1.

Magda Linette is -16 to No 78, Antonia Ruzic is -20 to No 81 and Alicia Parks is -26 to No 89

WTA Top 20

1. Aryna Sabalenka – 8,575

2. Elena Rybakina Kazakhstan – 8,141

3. Jessica Pegula United States – 7,265

4. Coco Gauff United States – 6,704

5. Mirra Andreeva – 5,433 (+1)

6. Linda Noskova Czechia – 5,028 (+2)

7. Karolina Muchova Czechia – 4,983

8. Iga Swiatek Poland – 4,809 (-3)

9. Elina Svitolina Ukraine – 4,689

10. Amanda Anisimova United States – 4,533

11. Marta Kostyuk Ukraine – 3,980

12. Belinda Bencic Switzerland – 2,995

13. Naomi Osaka Japan – 2,846

14. Iva Jovic United States – 2,671 (+2)