World No. 1 in women’s tennis, Aryna Sabalenka, has revealed her intention to limit the number of matches she plays in 2026 to avoid risks to her health. Representative photo shoot in Dubai in December 2025 (2026 Reuters)
(Reuters) – World No. 1 in women’s tennis, Aryna Sabalenka, has said she intends to limit the number of matches she plays in 2026 to avoid risks to her health.
Under the rules of the women’s WTA tour, top players are required to participate in all four of the four major tournaments, 10 of the WTA 1000, and six of the WTA 500, and if they miss, they will be subject to some form of punishment, such as having their ranking points deducted or being fined.
Sabalenka only participated in three WTA 500 tournaments last year. Many other top athletes, including world No. 2 Iga Świętek (Poland), also missed the tournament and had their ranking points deducted.
When asked by a reporter if there have been any changes to her plans for 2026, Sabalenka said, “The season has definitely been tough and it’s not good for all of us. A lot of players have been injured.” She continued, “Last season was pretty tough too, so I’m going to avoid some tournaments to protect my body.”
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