Elina Svitolina climbs into Serena Williams’ ranking territory

Elina Svitolina hits ranking milestone matched only by Serena Williams

Since returning to the WTA Tour following her pregnancy in 2023, Elina Svitolina has experienced a notable resurgence in her career.

The Ukrainian has picked up three WTA titles since then, the most recent being the ASB Classic at the beginning of the 2026 season.

Svitolina has made a strong start to 2026, reaching both a final and a semi-final at Masters events in Dubai and Indian Wells.

Her performances have also been reflected in her rankings climb. She now holds 25 consecutive weeks inside the top 10 of the WTA rankings as a mother.

This stretch matches a record set by Serena Williams for mothers on tour. The legendary American player held her top-10 spot for 25 consecutive weeks after becoming a parent as well.

Svitolina’s form hasn’t gone unnoticed, and there’s talk that she could push for another title before this year’s Wimbledon tournament rolls around.

Elina Svitolina matches Serena Williams ranking record after impressive rise

Svitolina has climbed to world number seven in the rankings, following strong performances at the Sunshine Double.

That position makes her the highest-ranked mother on the WTA Tour since Williams reached the same mark three years ago.

Svitolina’s climb to seventh is a milestone she now shares with Williams, who also reached that ranking as a mum in 2021.

The pair now stand as the highest-ranked mothers in WTA singles since Kim Clijsters, who made it back to world number one after returning to tennis in 2011.

Next up for Svitolina is a trip to Stuttgart for the Women’s Open from 13-19 April, where Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina are all set to feature among others from inside the top five.

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