Overview
- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka enters 2026 as the established leader after a 2025 season with four titles and multiple major finals.
- Gauff opened her year with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Solana Sierra in 57 minutes at the United Cup and said she can play even better.
- She outlined consistency as her primary 2026 objective and said reaching No. 1 would be a goal.
- Former pros offered contrasting outlooks, with Coco Vandeweghe favoring Sabalenka’s reliability and Paul Annacone stressing a mental reset for Gauff.
- Because of the schedule shift and points dropping, Gauff is projected to slip to No. 4 next week, with Anisimova expected to become the top-ranked American.