Breaking new ground
Without points from her Wimbledon triumph counting towards her ranking, it took a lot for Rybakina to finally crack the top four.
A 27-8 record for the season, which includes trophy tilts in Indian Wells and Rome, and finalist showings at the Australian Open and Miami, has guaranteed Rybakina the top-four seeding at a Grand Slam for the first time.
“I don't think about the rankings so much. Of course it's nice to see the progress also with the ranking, but I have been playing well I think last year also, and now I'm just getting a bit more consistent, doing good job with the team. I just want to keep on going like this, and we see how far I can go this year,” she said.