Aryna Sabalenka is the player to beat in the women’s singles draw at the Australian Open this year.
Sabalenka finished the 2025 season as the world number one, with the Belarusian winning four titles including the US Open.
The top-ranked player on the WTA Tour has continued this form into 2026, with Sabalenka winning the Brisbane International for the second time in her career to make herself the favorite for the Australian Open.
Sabalenka has already won her first match at the 2026 Australian Open, where she is a two-time former champion, but there are three players that she should be wary of according to a former world top 10 player.
Barbara Schett suggests three players who she thinks could beat Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka has only lost one match in the past three editions of the Australian Open, coming in the 2025 final where she was beaten by Madison Keys.
However, Keys was not named by former world number seven Barbara Schett, who has suggested three other players are bigger threats to Sabalenka.
Instead of picking either world number two Iga Swiatek or world number three Coco Gauff, Schett named Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anisimova.
“With Sabalenka, I think the gap between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and everybody else is much bigger than the gap between Aryna Sabalenka and the rest of the women’s field,” Schett told TNT Sports.
“On the women’s side, even though she’s the favourite, she could certainly lose to someone like Pegula, Rybakina, or Anisimova.”
Aryna Sabalenka’s Head-to-Head record vs Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anisimova
These are three interesting picks from Schett, but one of those players in particular may have a real chance if she faces Sabalenka.
World number four Anisimova enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, reaching two Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, the latter of which she lost to Sabalenka in the final.
Despite being prevented from winning the US Open title by Sabalenka, Anisimova actually leads the head-to-head against the Belarusian 6-5.
However, Sabalenka has won the last two meetings against Anisimova, but she cannot say the same about Rybakina.
Sabalenka leads the head-to-head against Rybakina, but she lost to the former Wimbledon champion in their most recent meeting in the final of the WTA Finals last year.
Pegula appears to be the least likely of Schett’s picks to beat Sabalenka, having lost three of their 12 previous meetings.
| Barbara Schett’s contenders to Aryna Sabalenka | Head-to-head vs Aryna Sabalenka | Most recent meeting vs Aryna Sabalenka |
| Jessica Pegula | 9-3 Sabalenka | Sabalenka beat Pegula, 6-4 2-6 6-3 (WTA Finals RR) |
| Elena Rybakina | 8-6 Sabalenka | Rybakina beat Sabalenka, 6-3 7-6(0) (WTA Finals Final) |
| Amanda Anisimova | 6-5 Anisimova | Sabalenka beat Anisimova, 6-3 3-6 6-3 (WTA Finals SF) |
Sabalenka will not have to worry about any of these three players until the latter stages of the tournament.
After winning her first round match in straight sets, Sabalenka will play qualifier Zhuoxuan Bai in her second round match on Wednesday, January 21.
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