Aryna Sabalenka highlights that she expects to face some "tough competition" next year, but also underlines that she enjoys challenges and that she will be ready to deliver.
After overtaking Iga Swiatek at the world No. 1 spot in October 2024, Sabalenka played well consistently throughout the entire 2025 and secured going the full year as the top-ranked player in the game. However, it is not a secret that the Belarusian has certain regrets about her 2025 season after losing two Grand Slam finals and also failing just short of making her maiden Wimbledon final.
In the first part of 2025, world No. 3 Coco Gauff won the French Open, while Mirra Andreeva won two WTA 1000 titles. The second part of 2025 saw the resurgence of Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, with the Pole winning Wimbledon and the Kazakh making it all the way at the WTA Finals.
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Heading into 2026, there are a couple of players who are already considered legitimate contenders for the Australian Open title - Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff and Rybakina.
Sabalenka: 2026 is going to be a very tough season, but I love to accept tough challenges
Honestly, I think its gonna be an incredible and a very tough season I love to accept tough challenges and Im really excited for the next season," the top-ranked WTA player said in an interview with ESPN Brasil.
A few days earlier, Swiatek's coach Wim Fissette revealed the Pole's major plans for 2026 as the world No. 2 aims to win multiple Grand Slams and return to the world No. 1 spot.
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"The priorities are not changing. Iga wants to be the best in the world. We want to win a Grand Slam, hopefully more than one. We intend to be as close as possible to the No. 1 in the ranking," Swiatek's coach Fissette told Polish media earlier this week.
Sabalenka heads into 2026 with four Grand Slams under her belt and the world No. 1 ranking, while Swiatek has six Majors but sits at No. 2 in the world.
