For many, it was a surprise when Elena Rybakina won the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Even more impressive, she didn’t lose a single match and defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final, 6-3, 7-6(0). With this win, Rybakina took home a record $5.235 million, the biggest prize in women’s tennis. While Sabalenka was the fan favorite going into the matchup, a former Men’s world no 1 had a feeling that a upset was on the cards.

Just recently, former World No. 1 Andrew Roddick talked about Elena Rybakina’s dominance at the WTA Finals on his YouTube podcast, Andy Roddick’s Served Media.  About Elena’s WTA run, Roddick said, “Rybakina’s dominance at the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, going through Anisimova pretty straightforward, Iga Swiatek, Alexandrova, Pegula, Sabalenka five on the trot… she’s going to have a massive 2026.”

When you look at her head-to-head records against the top players, it’s easy to see why Roddick said that. She leads Aryna Sabalenka 8-6, has a slight edge over Iga Swiatek at 6-5, and even has a 1-0 record against Coco Gauff, which just shows that she can compete with the best and deliver when it matters most.

Roddick’s co-host, Jon Wertheim, added, “Watch her play, watch her serve her way out of trouble, watch her authoritative tennis, watch her get it done in November, and you cannot help but think she has put herself right back squarely in the conversation of who’s going to win majors next year.” And to be honest, that remark felt totally justified after her performance at the WTA Finals.

Elena Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the final, hitting 13 aces, saving all five break points, and winning 73% of her second-serve points and roughly 72.3% of her first-serve points. On returns and from the baseline, she completely dominated, hitting 36 winners compared to Sabalenka’s 12. However, earlier in the year, things were quite different.

In February, Elena Rybakina had matches where her first-serve percentage was around 57% and she won only 66% of those points. By March, her overall win rate was about 72.2%, which was solid but not elite. But by the end of the season, she had led the tour with 516 aces and maintained very high first-serve win percentages. With that kind of form, it’s no wonder even Andy Roddick seems confident about who could be lifting a Grand Slam trophy in 2026.

Elena Rybakina’s 2026 already feels like a victory

The year had its challenges off the court as well. After playing only two tournaments together, Elena Rybakina and Goran Ivanisevic parted ways following the Australian Open. And then, she started working with Davide Sanguinetti, who has big ambitions for her. “At the moment I’m a sort of ferryman: I joined her team in February, without any work behind me,” Sanguinetti said.

However, by September 2025, she ended that partnership and returned to working exclusively with her long-time coach, Stefano Vukov, who has guided her through the most significant achievements of her career. With Vukov back in her corner and her recent performances, it’s clear that Rybakina is rising fast, and many, including her coach, believe she has the potential to become world number one.

Looking ahead to 2026, tennis legend Andy Roddick has tipped Elena Rybakina as one of the players most likely to win a Grand Slam next year. “I think I say [Elena] Rybakina, just because she’s better on clay, so it’s one more opportunity, she’s won Rome before,” he said. “It’s not her best surface by any means. I think they have the same limitations on the surface, but does she have 3.5 chances at the Slams vs 3? I don’t know.” 

Roddick also emphasized how dominant she is on the court, particularly with her serve, which has grown to be one of the most dreaded tools in women’s tennis. “I do think Rybakina has the best serve in women’s tennis. When you say [Coco] Gauff, Iga [Swiatek], and [Aryna] Sabalenka, you slot Rybakina into that conversation, and none of them want to play her,” he said. She is a formidable opponent for anyone on the tour because of her serve and her composure under duress.

Elena Rybakina has already won 11 singles championships at the WTA Tour level, including a major at the Wimbledon Championships in 2022. It’s easy to see her adding even more trophies and perhaps another Grand Slam to her collection in 2026, given her current form and increasing self-assurance.