2026 WTA News & Gossip

[the AntiPusher]

Strange no news about Rybakina's MRI Achilles injury update

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

The US Open is Rybakina's last real chance to claim the #1 ranking. After the US Open, she has a boatload of points to defend. Conversely, Mirra Andreeva has almost nothing to defend post-US Open.

Rybakina gains the #1 ranking if she makes it to at least the semifinals or Sabalenka does not win the US Open.

 

[kskate2]

We know the talent is there. The bigger question is will Elena be in the right mood to snatch #1 even if it's only for a little while.

 

[10isfan]

 

[Hoergren]

Again a late night - but worth it. Clara Tauson is about finding her best. Lost first, won second and erased her oponent in the third.

 

[Hoergren]

A nailbiter in Monterey

 

[the AntiPusher]

Parks vs Cwhalinska Set 1 3-6 Parks 20 ufes Cwhalinska 0 UFEs ... Parks blew her off the court in set 2 and 3

 

[Hoergren]

A nailbiter in Monterey
View attachment 11053

 

[Hoergren]

She had 3 setpoints and suddenly everything fails for Tauson and she loses the match - not good. But well fought by Parry

 

[10isfan]

A budding romance between Andreeva and Rublev?

 

[kskate2]

A budding romance between Andreeva and Rublev?

I thought he was married

 

[kskate2]

She had 3 setpoints and suddenly everything fails for Tauson and she loses the match - not good. But well fought by Parry
View attachment 11056

I think she hit the wall. Several late 3 set matches probably gassed her. That's my argument for these events right before a major. Someone will be tuckered out before they have to play their first round, likely on Mon or Tues.

 

[Kieran]

We never really hear much about this match:

 

[El Dude]

As Rybakina won and Sabalenka went Slamless for the first time since 2022, I was thinking about how no one has been able to take the crown as the top female player for more than a year or two since Serena. And I'm not talking about the #1 ranking, but true greatness. Consider that from 1960 to 2017, we didn't go a year without being within the Slam-winning years of five 18+ Slam winners:

Court: 1960-1973
Evert: 1974-1986
Navratilova: 1978-1990
Graf: 1987-1999
Serena: 1999-2017

Meaning, for 58 years, one of the five best players of the last 65 years was winning a Slam, or within their Slam winning days. But from 2018-26--almost a decade--no one emerged as that clear next true great. Maybe Iga wins another Slam or three, but I think the chances of her being a GOAT caliber player are long gone. Instead we've had a string of players who have had moments when they might be the "next thing," but none quite have it: Osaka, Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff, etc. Maybe Andreeva can get there, but I think it is unlikely.

Any thoughts on this? Why haven't we seen the next GOAT player emerge? How is the last decade different than the previous six?

 

[Fiero425]

As Rybakina won and Sabalenka went Slamless for the first time since 2022, I was thinking about how no one has been able to take the crown as the top female player for more than a year or two since Serena. And I'm not talking about the #1 ranking, but true greatness. Consider that from 1960 to 2017, we didn't go a year without being within the Slam-winning years of five 18+ Slam winners:

Court: 1960-1973
Evert: 1974-1986
Navratilova: 1978-1990
Graf: 1987-1999
Serena: 1999-2017

Meaning, for 58 years, one of the five best players of the last 65 years was winning a Slam, or within their Slam winning days. But from 2018-26--almost a decade--no one emerged as that clear next true great. Maybe Iga wins another Slam or three, but I think the chances of her being a GOAT caliber player are long gone. Instead we've had a string of players who have had moments when they might be the "next thing," but none quite have it: Osaka, Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff, etc. Maybe Andreeva can get there, but I think it is unlikely.

Any thoughts on this? Why haven't we seen the next GOAT player emerge? How is the last decade different than the previous six?

IDK what to tell you! I thought the women w/b off and running w/ some very good players leading the way, but sustained greatness has been fleeting; even w/ Sabalenka as she goes slamless! I looked forward to either Osaka or Swiatek swapping #1 rankings w/ a touch of Andreescu pushing them w/ her aggressive game! It's really been "up for grabs" on the ladies' side for quite a few yrs. w/ no stable force taking over the tour! The men have had it "all good" for a while now w/ the "passing of the torch" from The Big 3 to Alcaraz & Sinner! They're above the rest, but aren't invulnerble as both have had health issues! Even if they didn't, the grind of the tour is showing on both at relatively young ages! We can forget about 20+ yr. careers for either of them! Getting back to the ladies, I was looking forward to Mirra Andreeva stepping up, but she choked away her chances w/ Coco trying to give her the match in their QF battle! Like the old Doc. in "Them" when asked about the distances of the Queen Ants' wedding flights, "I just don't know!"

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

As Rybakina won and Sabalenka went Slamless for the first time since 2022, I was thinking about how no one has been able to take the crown as the top female player for more than a year or two since Serena. And I'm not talking about the #1 ranking, but true greatness. Consider that from 1960 to 2017, we didn't go a year without being within the Slam-winning years of five 18+ Slam winners:

Court: 1960-1973
Evert: 1974-1986
Navratilova: 1978-1990
Graf: 1987-1999
Serena: 1999-2017

Meaning, for 58 years, one of the five best players of the last 65 years was winning a Slam, or within their Slam winning days. But from 2018-26--almost a decade--no one emerged as that clear next true great. Maybe Iga wins another Slam or three, but I think the chances of her being a GOAT caliber player are long gone. Instead we've had a string of players who have had moments when they might be the "next thing," but none quite have it: Osaka, Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff, etc. Maybe Andreeva can get there, but I think it is unlikely.

Any thoughts on this? Why haven't we seen the next GOAT player emerge? How is the last decade different than the previous six?

The player that was supposed to be it, Ash Barty, retired early. If Barty continued playing, there's no doubt in my mind she would have won 10+ slams. Her talent is levels ahead of Swiatek, Osaka, Sabalenka, et al.

We should have had Barty 2019-20??

 

[Kieran]

It’s possible that the changes brought to the men’s game that created conditions for the the Big 3 also worked for the Two, but worked against the women? I’ll give it some thought but the men’s game became more advantageous to the top players, with 32 seeds and more homogenised surfaces and conditions, but this probably became more advantageous to the field in the women’s?

Also, Barty retiring was a good call but I don’t know if she was going to be a long term stable champ, going deep into double digits. Iga has been a letdown for a few years now. Saba is a bit of a black hole. It’s an interesting observation, @El Dude …

 

[El Dude]

I would also add shorter-term dominant players like Seles, Hingis, even Venus and Henin. We don't even see those type of players anymore - they all seem to not quite get there or fizzle. Even if Iga was never going to be Graf, it did look like she'd be the dominant player for 5+ years.

As for Barty, she claimed burnout. Osaka had mental health issues. Iga and Aryna seem to be variations on mental fortitude. Gauff, I think, just isn't good enough (sort of like Sharapova); she might win more Slams, but I bet she ends up in the 3-5 Slam range, not the 7+. But the point is, for most it seems that mentality has a lot to do with it.

I suppose Miira Andreeva could still be the "One." Probably not GOAT tier, but I still think there's a chance she can break that 7+ Slam barrier.

We could call this the "6-7 Curse." Contemporary players not getting past 6 Slams to 7, with the last being Serena/Venus/Henin. And that's the craziness of this: Those were the last three players to reach 7 career Slams - Serena in 2005, Justine in 2007, Venus in 2008.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I would also add shorter-term dominant players like Seles, Hingis, even Venus and Henin. We don't even see those type of players anymore - they all seem to not quite get there or fizzle. Even if Iga was never going to be Graf, it did look like she'd be the dominant player for 5+ years.

As for Barty, she claimed burnout. Osaka had mental health issues. Iga and Aryna seem to be variations on mental fortitude. Gauff, I think, just isn't good enough (sort of like Sharapova); she might win more Slams, but I bet she ends up in the 3-5 Slam range, not the 7+. But the point is, for most it seems that mentality has a lot to do with it.

I suppose Miira Andreeva could still be the "One." Probably not GOAT tier, but I still think there's a chance she can break that 7+ Slam barrier.

We could call this the "6-7 Curse." Contemporary players not getting past 6 Slams to 7, with the last being Serena/Venus/Henin. And that's the craziness of this: Those were the last three players to reach 7 career Slams - Serena in 2005, Justine in 2007, Venus in 2008.

I think the reverse.. I think Coco is coachable and will mature to manage her nerves. I am not certain about Mira.. She appears to be a diva that has a sense of entitlement.

 

[El Dude]

I think the reverse.. I think Coco is coachable and will mature to manage her nerves. I am not certain about Mira.. She appears to be a diva that has a sense of entitlement.

Not unlike half the top WTA players. Haha. But we shall see. We can have a gentleman's bet as to who will finish with more Slams: I say Andreeva.