Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina Bond Alongside Paula Badosa As World No. 1 Battle Looms at US Open

Mar 26, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus shakes hands with Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan after beating her in the semi-finals of the women’s singles at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium. © Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are among the four players in contention to emerge as the world No. 1 after the conclusion of the 2026 US Open, alongside Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff. However, despite the high-stakes race for the top spot, the battle has had little impact on the camaraderie the players share on tour.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina Share a Laugh During US Open Practice

Both Sabalenka and Rybakina have question marks looming over them ahead of their highly anticipated singles campaigns at the US Open. Sabalenka suffered early exits at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, crashing out in the fourth round on both occasions. Meanwhile, Rybakina was forced to retire during her quarterfinal clash against Iga Świątek in Cincinnati due to a left-foot injury.

Ahead of her opening match in New York, Rybakina shared a positive fitness update, revealing that her foot felt fine and that she was doing everything possible to ensure she would be fit to compete.

The Kazakhstani star enters the US Open with the clearest path to the world No. 1 ranking. She will secure the top spot if Sabalenka, Pegula, and Gauff all fail to win the title, regardless of her own result. In contrast, the other three contenders must win the US Open and also hope Rybakina loses before the semifinals to finish on top.

As the tennis world eagerly awaits the outcome of the battle for world No. 1, Rybakina and Sabalenka were spotted sharing a friendly conversation and enjoying each other’s company during their recent practice session at Flushing Meadows.

The two stars were joined by Paula Badosa at the venue, with Rybakina sharing a warm hug with the Spaniard upon arriving at the court.

Badosa also enjoyed a warm reunion with her close friend Sabalenka. The two players share a particularly close bond, with Sabalenka even describing the Spaniard as her “soulmate.”

Aryna Sabalenka, who is searching for her first Grand Slam title of the season, will kick off her title defense against Camila Osorio in the first round of the US Open. Elena Rybakina is set to lock horns with Thea Frodin, while Paula Badosa will square off against Daria Kasatkina in her opening match.

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This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.