Who is more likely to win a Slam: Amanda Anisimova or Elena Rybakina?

As we make our way toward the 2026 season—which begins Friday, January 2 on Tennis Channel with the United Cup—our Tennis Channel analysts and editors tackle the most important questions of the new year.

Next up: Who is more likely to win a Grand Slam title in 2026: Amanda Anisimova or Elena Rybakina?

VICTORIA DUVAL: Elena Rybakina is more likely to win a Grand Slam tournament in the short term. She is going into 2026 with tremendous momentum and confidence, having captured the WTA Finals title with victories over both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. She hasn't made a major final since the 2023 Australian Open, but I would argue she has less mental scar tissue compared to Amanda Anisimova, who has had more recent major success but two difficult defeats at Wimbledon and the US Open.

COCO VANDEWEGHE: I would love to say both, but If I had to choose one I would to go with a first Slam for Amanda Anisimova, which would be an amazing story. Anisimova finished at No. 359 in the WTA rankings at the end of 2023. Two years later, she finishes at No. 4 with back-to-back Grand Slam final finishes. But both women definitely have it in them to do next year.

DAVID KANE: Elena Rybakina was the purest ball striker at the top of the women’s game until Amanda Anisimova came along. The American combines unimpeachable groundstrokes with a tenacity that allowed her to shake off a heartbreaking Wimbledon final defeat to reach another major final two months later at the US Open. Though she didn’t win the WTA Finals, she got another win over Iga Swiatek and played one of the best matches of the year against Aryna Sabalenka in the semis. Anisimova keeps creating opportunities to succeed, so there’s no reason to believe she won’t walk through one of the doors she’ll likely open in 2026.

BRETT HABER: I could see them both winning another one in 2026, as you could easily argue they were the third and fourth best players in the world through the second half of this past year. Still, I would lean towards Elena Rybakina. Now that her coaching situation spears to have been resolved, she seems at ease and confident—as evidenced by her destroying the field at the WTA Finals

PAUL ANNACONE: I have loved what we've seen from Amanda Anisimova. I think she is knocking on the door, and she is my vote for a major victory next year.