Aryna Sabalenka has spent the past year and more at the summit of the women’s game, but her hold on the top spot is looking less secure after a difficult run of results.

The Belarusian has not added a title since finishing the ‘Sunshine Double’ in March, when she followed her Indian Wells triumph with another major win in Miami. At that stage, Sabalenka looked firmly in control of women’s tennis. Since then, though, she has absorbed several unexpected defeats, including heavy losses at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Her world No 1 ranking will again be tested when she defends her US Open crown later this month. A closer look at the live WTA Race shows that her margin is now vulnerable as the season moves toward its final major.

The WTA Race tracks form across the calendar year, and Sabalenka’s early exit at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto has allowed Elena Rybakina to move into first place on that list. Rybakina and Iga Swiatek both found form in Toronto and advanced to the final, yet neither has fully closed the gap in the broader rankings battle.

Sabalenka has still been world No 1 for an impressive 96 consecutive weeks, dating back to October 2024, and her total at the top now stands at 104 weeks overall. She summed up the challenge of staying there with a frank assessment of the pressure that comes with the position.

“You have the target on your back. Everyone wants to beat you,” said Sabalenka.

“But I feel like it’s the same if you’re No 1, No 2, No 10. It doesn’t really matter what the ranking is anyway; when you go out there on the court, everyone wants to beat you.

“It’s just extra motivation for others to go out there and be fearless and play their best tennis. You have to deal with players performing their best. You have to deal with that and get the job done.”

Elsewhere, the 2026 ranking points list offers a sharper view of current form, and Alex Eala’s rise stands out. She is up to No 20 in the official rankings after winning her first WTA Tour title in Washington earlier this month, while the live table places her at No 15.

Eala has also collected wins over Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and several top-10 players in recent months. If that momentum continues through the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, a top-10 finish at the end of the season may be within reach.

Andy Roddick has weighed in on the discussion around Alex Eala’s serve, offering an explanation for why opponents are having trouble dealing with it despite its relatively modest pace.

Eala’s surge into the top 20 has prompted renewed debate over whether she can win a Grand Slam while serving outside the top 50 for aces and for both first and second serve win percentage. Serena Williams’ coach Rennae Stubbs first said the 21-year-old could not win a major with her first and second delivery, though she has since eased that position after Eala’s Washington Open victory. Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski also believes the serve needs work, but feels she has time to strengthen it.

Roddick, one of the finest servers the sport has seen, suggested the issue is not simply about serve speed. Speaking on Thursday’s Q&Andy show and on the latest episode of Served, the 2003 US Open champion pointed out that Eala’s first serve can reach around 100mph, while her second is often between 60-75mph. What matters, he said, is her ability to “crush” the next ball if the return is not handled cleanly.

He said, “Here’s the difference. It’s not just anybody goes out there and hits a slow serve and they get away with it. It’s Eala’s ability to crush the next ball if you don’t square up that return.

“I was a returner who had a hard time creating pace on a slow second serve. Like I used to play Mardy [Fish] and he’d hit this little bunny 81mph kick serve where I had all day, but he knew that I couldn’t bruise him off the back end side. Right?

“Therefore he wasn’t in a rush to hit it. So the difference is it’s not just making the serve or hitting a good return. It’s against Eala. If you don’t square it up, she’s able to hit that middle ball, both directions, with pace on the next shot.”

Roddick also said that while a soft, low-spin serve can be punished by Iga Swiatek, Eala’s case is different. He noted that when Eala beat Swiatek at Wimbledon, the Pole struggled with the youngster’s slower delivery.

He added, “You can’t take someone who doesn’t have Eala’s ball striking ability or ability to hit directionally to the corners and just say, ‘I’m going to serve slower against Iga Swiatek’. Welcome to your death.

“Like that’s not the way it works. It’s being able to create enough pace to offset what Eala is trying to do on that next ball. I think Eala’s serve or second serve, especially, is probably more effective with the slower version than if it was 10mph faster.

“Like I think she’s starting to kind of figure out how to use it as well and maybe not being obsessed with pace, but like, ‘I’m going to throw you this one and you better hit it’. You better hit it firm. Otherwise you’re going for a ride on the next ball.”

Learner Tien has acknowledged a lingering physical problem after his straight-sets loss to Ben Shelton in the Canadian Open semi-finals.

The 20-year-old had arrived at the match with confidence after winning the first two meetings between the pair, but Shelton ended that run with a 6-2, 6-3 victory on Wednesday. It was still a positive week for Tien after a difficult stretch of results, yet the left-hander’s condition now appears to be the bigger story.

Tien had strapping on his left arm against the defending champion, and the issue is already being managed with Cincinnati ahead. The concern has not gone away, and he explained in his post-match press conference that it has been bothering him for more than three weeks.

He said in his post-match press conference, “I’ve been trying to manage it [the arm issue] for maybe longer than three weeks. It’s kind of just always been there. I was supposed to play doubles this week. I ended up not playing, which is good for me.

“It’s just kind of been nagging at me. Sometimes I warm up and I don’t really feel it, and then towards the end of practice I start to feel it. And then sometimes I feel like if I really go for a serve, like something bad will happen.

“And I’ve been doing my best just to manage it, and but it’s been irritating and it’s just kind of been there. I’ve kind of found a way to play through it this week, but it’s not ideal I’d say.”

He also sounded uncertain about how the issue may affect his upcoming schedule. Along with Cincinnati, he is set to play US Open mixed doubles with Amanda Anisimova before the singles event the following week.

When asked about his next steps, Tien replied, “I don’t know. I think if it’s something that isn’t serious, that I won’t injure it further, if I play through it, I mean, I love to play.

“I mean, I always do just try to go out and play no matter how I’m feeling. That’s just kind of how I am. I always to finish matches; I always want to play matches, whether something is hurting or not. So I’m always going to go out and play, if I’m able to, if something bad won’t happen if I play through it.

“I’m going to take a couple days off now. I don’t think I play till Sunday in Cincy. I’ve kind of just been managing it the last few weeks, and I think a couple days off will be good for it.”

Tien said he was not close to withdrawing against Shelton, insisting he will keep competing whenever possible. If he does eventually pull out, attention may again turn to the demands of the schedule and the two-week Masters 1000 events.