In March, Aryna Sabalenka stormed through the Sunshine Double, becoming the first WTA player since 2022 to achieve the feat, and days later surpassed Iga Świątek with 76 consecutive weeks at No. 1. Now, in her birthday week, she stands on the brink of matching two legends, adding another emotional chapter to her rise.

Aryna Sabalenka will spend her 81st and 82nd consecutive weeks at No. 1 during the Italian Open. This milestone will move her past Martina Hingis for the longest 10th-longest streak at the top since the WTA rankings began in 1975. That is not the only landmark approaching for Sabalenka. During the second week in Rome, she is also set to reach her 90th career week as World No. 1.

Her time at the top has come in two phases. She first held the No. 1 ranking for eight weeks in 2023 before reclaiming it on October 21, 2024, beginning her current run. With 90 career weeks, she will become the 11th player in history to achieve that mark. It is another sign of her growing legacy within the sport.

Historically, she is now entering territory occupied by some of the greatest names in tennis. Her progress puts her within range of past dominance seen across different eras. However, the benchmark remains extremely high. The long-standing record of 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1 is jointly held by Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.

Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking appears secure for the next several weeks. Still, depending on the results in Rome, the situation could shift heading into the French Open. Despite not winning the Madrid Open this year, Sabalenka remained consistent. She reached the quarterfinals, going deeper than any other Top 5 player in the draw.

Her consistency has been remarkable over an extended period. She has now reached at least the quarterfinals in her last 17 tournaments, a run that stretches back to February of last year.

Even last month, with 77 consecutive weeks at No. 1, she moved into 11th place all-time. In doing so, she surpassed Chris Evert, although Evert still holds a longer separate streak of 113 weeks from 1976 to 1978.

The all-time list remains led by Graf and Serena Williams with 186 weeks, followed by Martina Navratilova with 156, Ashleigh Barty with 114, Evert again with 113, Graf again with 94, and Monica Seles with 91. 

As the Rome Open approaches, Sabalenka faces a demanding challenge to maintain her dominance at the Italian event.

Aryna Sabalenka’s Italian Open path may feature Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova

Aryna Sabalenka has reached the final in Rome only once, where she lost in straight sets to Iga Świątek. That result still defines her best showing at the Italian Open so far.

Her recent momentum also took a hit in Madrid. The world No. 1 saw her run end in the quarterfinals after a loss to Hailey Baptiste. Because of that setback, Sabalenka will arrive in Rome with a clear objective. She will look to regain control and return to her dominant level on clay.

After receiving a first-round bye, she is set to face either Barbora Krejčíková or Elsa Jacquemot in the second round. Krejčíková, despite injury struggles this season, remains dangerous when fully fit.

A tougher challenge could follow in the third round. Sorana Cîrstea has been in strong form, winning a title this year and holding a 23-7 record.

Looking ahead to the fourth round, possible opponents include Linda Nosková and Clara Tauson. Nosková arrives with confidence after defeating Coco Gauff in Madrid, while Tauson shares a balanced 1-1 H2H with Sabalenka.

If she progresses into the QF, Sabalenka could meet Amanda Anisimova or Belinda Bencic. Notably, she holds a 5-6 H2H record against Anisimova, making it a potentially tricky matchup.

The semifinal stage presents another demanding test. Possible opponents include Coco Gauff, reigning champion Jasmine Paolini, or Mirra Andreeva, who has enjoyed a strong clay season with a Linz title and a Madrid final. If Sabalenka reaches the final, she could face Elena Rybakina or Świątek once again. 

As the Italian Open approaches, the key question remains whether she can lift the Masters trophy before heading to Roland Garros.