It’s a question that keeps coming to the forefront and which still sparks debate. Would a professional tennis player, even ranked far from the world’s top 10, be able to beat the best active player? Invited by a streamer on the Kick platform, Ignacio Buse was questioned on the subject.
He was asked if he would be able to beat the world No. 1, in this case Elena Rybakina, recent winner of the US Open. The Peruvian, 35th in the ATP rankings, responded in the affirmative, without the slightest hesitation. The streamer then pushed the reasoning further: would it be the same if he were 100th or 200th in the world? Again, Ignacio Buse answered “yes”.
It was only when mentioning a player ranked around 1000th in the world that the Peruvian was more cautious. “There, I would say to you: be careful. It could create a surprise,” he explained.
Ignacio Buse’s comments sparked a controversy. Many people took him to task on social networks, believing that he would have no chance against Elena Rybakina. Internet users had a blast this Saturday, after Ignacio Buse experienced all the difficulties in the world to win in the Davis Cup against the Paraguayan Hernando Jose Escurra Isnardi, 1091st in the ATP.
A useless comparison
“For me, women’s tennis cannot be compared to men’s tennis, it’s different,” the recent winner of the ATP 250 tournament in Winston-Salem also said to explain his point of view.
Ultimately, there is simply no point in comparing. For both men and women, the 2026 season offered some magnificent matches. And it is not duels like the one between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios in December 2025, won by the Australian, which will allow any conclusion to be drawn on the respective value of the two circuits.
