Aspiring for the heavens, soaring upward — Rybakina aims for world No. 1!

On March 16, Rybakina achieved the women's singles runner-up finish at the WTA1000 Indian Wells event. With the acquisition of $612,340 in prize money and 650 ranking points, her world ranking officially rose to a personal career-best No. 2.

Just four months earlier, Rybakina was still striving for a spot in last year's年终总决赛 (Year-End Championships). At that time, the top seven players had already secured提前入围 (early qualification), and she captured the final entry with six consecutive wins in Ningbo and Tokyo. The subsequent story is now well-known: Rybakina, who qualified at the last moment, won all five matches in Riyadh to claim the WTA年终总决赛 (Year-End Championships) title and extended her excellent competitive form into the new season.

Before the Australian Open began, Rybakina, competing as the No. 5 seed, became one of the favored contenders for the title. Two weeks later, she responded to external predictions with unstoppable performances and spectacular victories. After successively defeating top-10 players Swiatek, Pegula, and Sabalenka, Rybakina successfully captured her second Grand Slam championship, and her world ranking also equaled her personal best of No. 3.

Starting the new season with the most outstanding performances, Rybakina's goals extend far beyond this. In her post-championship interview, she openly expressed her determination to challenge for the world No. 1 ranking: "I always believed I could return to my previous level. Everyone experiences ups and downs, but everything depends on effort. I and my team have invested a lot of work. When you defeat top players and achieve significant victories, you believe in yourself more. Time will prove everything; we will continue working hard, and I hope to achieve my goal."

Time indeed proved everything. After the Australian Open, Rybakina did not linger too long in the joy of winning the championship. Arriving in the United States, she narrowly passed her first match by defeating Baptiste in three sets. Through this match, she accomplished the important tasks of adapting to the court and adjusting her form. In the subsequent four rounds, Rybakina consecutively advanced in straight sets, including victories over top-10 players Pegula and Svitolina.

In the final, facing the current world No. 1 Sabalenka again, although Rybakina missed a match point in the deciding-set tiebreak and suffered a reversal, her recent astonishing record of 12 wins and 1 loss against top-10 players has further narrowed the points gap with the former. "Competing for the world No. 1 ranking is definitely my biggest goal; I will strive to achieve it this year, hoping everything goes smoothly," Rybakina stated in the interview. "To occupy the world No. 1 position, one must maintain extremely high consistency. My goal is naturally to advance my ranking further and contend for the world No. 1 spot, but I know this still requires a lot of effort."

A powerful serve is Rybakina's most solid and reliable guarantee in her pursuit of world No. 1. After the conclusion of the Indian Wells tournament, her total number of ACEs this season has reached 148, leading all female players. The expanded sweet spot of the VCORE100 racket helps her perfectly convert body kinetic energy into ball advantage during serves, while excellent spin and control further enhance the precision and stability of her serves. Wearing the new series of YONEX战袍 (competition attire) for the North American "Sunshine Double," Rybakina's EC LIPSION 5战靴 (competition shoes) now feature a憨态可掬的袋鼠 (adorable kangaroo) added beside the Big Ben, symbolizing her two Grand Slam championship titles.

Next, Rybakina will promptly head to Miami to participate in another WTA1000-level event, where she twice claimed the women's singles runner-up position in 2023 and 2024. In the newly released women's singles draw, Rybakina, as the No. 3 seed, is placed in the upper half. A first-round bye grants her ample time for recovery and adjustment, allowing her to face the challenges from numerous formidable players in this section with her best form. The road ahead is long and inevitably布满荆棘 (filled with thorns), but Rybakina is advancing with firm steps, already prepared to stand atop the summit!

(Text and editing: Dato, Image: Visual China)