Aryna Sabalenka is one of the biggest hitters in women’s tennis and has made 733 winners this season.
That places her third, behind two players, including the woman who took the world number-one ranking from her, Elena Rybakina. The Kazakhstani has hit 856 winners this year, although she has played an extra five matches.
However, the player ranked second on the WTA list has played nine fewer matches than Sabalenka and currently sits outside the world’s top 20…
Jelena Ostapenko has hit more winners in 2026 than Aryna Sabalenka
Latvian star Jelena Ostapenko has hit more winners than anyone not named Rybakina this season. The 2017 French Open champion has hit 825 winners, almost 100 more than Sabalenka, despite playing nine fewer matches.
Most winners in 2026 (WTA)
| Rank | Player | WTA Rank | 2026 Winners | 2026 Matches played |
| 1 | Elena Rybakina | 1st | 856 | 63 |
| 2 | Jelena Ostapenko | 24th | 825 | 49 |
| 3 | Aryna Sabalenka | 2nd | 733 | 58 |
| 4 | Iga Swiatek | 9th | 725 | 58 |
| 5 | Coco Gauff | 5th | 708 | 62 |
Ostapenko has also hit her fair share of unforced errors, playing an ultra-aggressive style of tennis, but remains one of the most watchable players on tour. Whether she’s screaming at her team or demolishing the ball, you can’t take your eyes off her.
Give us one bold prediction for the final months of the 2026 tennis season!
She’s not just a good watch, either; Ostapenko continues to achieve results on tour. After a relatively disappointing run of form, she bounced back at the Wuhan Open last time around, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final.
Jelena Ostapenko at the 2026 Wuhan Open
- 1R [WIN] vs Daria Kasatkina, 6-1, 6-1
- 2R [WIN] vs Jessica Pegula, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3
- 3R [WIN] vs Leylah Fernandez, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4
- QF [WIN] vs Diana Shnaider, 7-6, 6-1
- SF [LOSS] vs Sonay Kartal, 6-7, 6-7
Ostapenko defeated Daria Kasatkina, Jessica Pegula, Leylah Fernandez, and Diana Shnaider to reach the Wuhan Open semis. She then had chances to win both sets of her semi-final against Sonay Kartal but fell short.
In true Ostapenko fashion, after a sensational week in Wuhan, she lost her next match at the Ningbo Open. Ostapenko retired from her first-round match against Belinda Bencic, trailing 3-6, 1-1.
The 29-year-old isn’t currently expected to return for any more singles matches this year, but she is scheduled to play the WTA Finals in doubles, having qualified with her partner Su-wei Hsieh.
Jelena Ostapenko has chance to win her first WTA Finals title
Ostapenko has already achieved great things in the sport. She won a Grand Slam singles title at the 2017 French Open, won a major doubles title at the 2024 US Open, and completed the set with a mixed doubles win at Wimbledon earlier this year.
But she has yet to win the WTA Finals. Ostapenko failed to advance out of the group stage on her one appearance in singles nine years ago, and lost twice in the doubles semi-finals (2022 and 2025).
Perhaps 2026 will be the year she goes all the way and takes the title. Ostapenko’s teammate is a former champion at the event, having won the title with Peng Shuai back in 2013.
2026 WTA Finals qualified teams
| Rank | Team | Points | Status |
| 1 | Gabriela Dabrowski/Luisa Stefani | 8,420 | Qualified |
| 2 | Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend | 8,370 | Qualified |
| – | Anna Danilina/Aleksandra Krunic | 5,638 | Qualified – Won’t play (Injury) |
| 3 | Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic | 3,889 | Qualified |
| 4 | Cristina Bucsa/Nicole Melichar-Martinez | 3,523 | Qualified |
| 5 | Jelena Ostapenko/Su-wei Hsieh | 3,328 | Qualified |
| 6 | Ellen Perez/Demi Schuurs | 3,130 | Qualified |
| 7 | Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai | 3,018 | Qualified |
| 8 | Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini | 2,417 | Qualifying |
Ostapenko and Hsieh will meet Gabriela Dabrowski/Taylor Townsend, Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic, Cristina Bucsa/Nicole Melichar-Martinez, Ellen Perez/Demi Schuurs, and Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai in Indian Wells later this year.
There is one spot still up for grabs, which is currently occupied by the Italians, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. Tereza Mihalikova/Olivia Nicholls, Shuko Aoyama/Liang En-shuo, Ulrikke Eikeri/Quinn Gleason, and Erin Routliffe/Aldila Sutjiadi are the four alternates.
Only time will tell if Ostapenko can add the WTA Finals to her resume this year, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action. The 2026 WTA Finals begin on November 8 in Indian Wells, California.
