The coach of Elena Rybakina is already making big plans for the 2026 season.
Rybakina has been struck by instability this season, but it appears that she is finding more structure as the year goes on.
After playing only two tournaments together, Rybakina and Goran Ivanisevic parted ways following the Australian Open.
Since then, Rybakina has been working with Davide Sanguinetti who has big goals for his collaboration with the former Wimbledon champion.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesDavide Sanguinetti wants to help Elena Rybakina become world number one in 2026
Rybakina has won only one WTA title so far in 2025, that came at the clay court tournament in Strasbourg.
As a result of her drop-off in form, Rybakina has fallen outside the top 10 of the WTA rankings.
However, Rybakina is now closing in on another trophy lift, as she is now in the semifinals of the Canadian Open.
In a new interview with Italian broadcaster Super Tennis TV, Sanguinetti explained that he is hoping to get Rybakina to world number six in the rankings by the end of this year.
Sanguinetti then revealed that he wants to take Rybakina to another level in 2026, and thinks she has the potential to become world number one.
“At the moment I’m a sort of ferryman: I joined her team in February, without any work behind me,” said Sanguinetti.
“She explained to me more or less what she had done, and I asked her for two years of collaboration because I have my own working method: in the first year I would like to maintain the status quo, maybe finish at number 6 in the rankings, and next year I would like to take her to number one in the world: she has all the potential.”
Rybakina has a career-high ranking of world number three, and could return to the top 10 of the WTA rankings if she reaches the final of the Canadian Open.
Davide Sanguinetti explains what he finds different about coaching a WTA player
Sanguinetti has been a prolific coach on tour since 2008, and has mentored the likes of Vince Spadea, Go Soeda, Ryan Harrison, and most recently Brandon Nakashima.
Although the Italian also briefly worked with former world number one Dinara Safina, he has much more experience working on the ATP Tour.
When asked about the difference between coaching men’s and women’s players, Sanguinetti suggested that he needs to be more sensitive with players on the WTA Tour.
“We definitely need to be more sensitive to girls, who have different ways of interacting,” claimed Sanguinetti. “It was new to me; I’m learning and adapting.”
Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images
Sanguinetti will now look to help Rybakina reach her first WTA level 1000 final since the Miami Open last year.
Standing in the way of Rybakina is Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who is predicted to become a top five ranked player herself.
However, Rybakina actually has a recent victory over Mboko that came at the Washington Open.