Former Wimbledon champion and second seed Elena Rybakina was eliminated from the 2026 tournament on Saturday, falling in the third round to Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens. The match, held on Court No. 1, ended in a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory for Mertens.
According to Reuters and The Associated Press, the loss marks a significant setback for the 27-year-old Rybakina, who entered the grass-court Grand Slam with the potential to overtake Aryna Sabalenka for the world No. 1 ranking. To secure the top spot, Rybakina needed at least a quarter-final appearance, a target she failed to meet following a performance characterized by uncharacteristic errors.
Rybakina, who claimed the Australian Open title earlier this year, struggled to find her rhythm against the 30-year-old Mertens. Despite having a strong head-to-head record against the Belgian—winning six of their previous eight meetings—Rybakina was unable to counter Mertens’ variety and court coverage. Mertens, a former Wimbledon doubles champion, dominated the second set, winning nine consecutive points during a critical stretch before closing the match with an ace.
This defeat follows a challenging stretch for Rybakina, who faced early exits in recent tournaments, including losses in Berlin and at the French Open. With her departure, Sabalenka is now confirmed to retain the No. 1 position in the WTA rankings following the conclusion of the tournament. Mertens moves on to the next round to face Marie Bouzkova.