Elena Rybakina solidified her claim to the top spot in the women's rankings by defeating two‑time US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and clinching her first US Open title on the famed courts of New York. The 27‑year‑old Kazakh, who had already secured the No. 1 ranking for the upcoming week, delivered a composed performance in a three‑set battle that ended 6‑4, 5‑7, 6‑2 in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sabalenka entered the final with the historic ambition of becoming only the third woman in the Open Era to achieve a New York "three‑peat," joining legends Chris Evert and Serena Williams.
Instead, the Belarusian left the court in a fit of frustration, smashing her racket into pieces as Rybakina celebrated her third Grand Slam triumph. An ankle injury that threatened to derail Rybakina’s campaign before the tournament even began proved merely a temporary setback; she brushed off the concerns and added the US Open trophy to her Australian Open victory earlier in the year and her Wimbledon title from 2022.
"Some magic is happening," Rybakina told Sky Sports Tennis after the match. "I was so unlucky with the injury at the start of the tournament. I took it day by day and my team stayed positive.
We didn’t know how things would turn out, so I’m incredibly happy and proud. I still can’t believe it." She also reflected on the pressure of the moment: "I was relieved to reach No.
1, but I knew there were still two matches left. Winning here would be a milestone, so I tried to stay focused and not get distracted by messages.
Everything clicked today." The final had all the ingredients of a classic showdown between the world’s top two players. Rybakina, dressed in a striking yellow‑and‑black ensemble reminiscent of a bee, unleashed a series of stinging groundstrokes, while Sabalenka countered with powerful serves that kept her in the contest. The second seed opened the scoring by breaking early, taking a 3‑2 lead after a Sabalenka double fault. The Belarusian’s frustration boiled over when she received a code violation for tossing a ball high into the stands.
Throughout the match, Sabalenka’s irritation grew with each missed opportunity, contrasting sharply with Rybakina’s calm demeanor. The Kazakh held firm in the first set, closing it out with a tight hold. In the second set, Rybakina’s level dipped briefly, allowing Sabalenka to seize momentum with a brilliant drop shot and a backhand winner, eventually forcing a deciding set.
Sabalenka roared after another backhand winner to secure the opening game of the third set, but Rybakina quickly reasserted herself. Using her red‑and‑blue framed racket, she surged ahead to a 5‑2 advantage and never looked back, delivering a commanding performance that left Sabalenka without a major title in 2026. After the match, Sabalenka addressed the media: "I don’t really want to give a speech right now, but I’ll try my best. Thank you to everyone for the support.
I want to congratulate Elena on an incredible year and a well‑deserved result. Enjoy it tonight and have fun.
I hope I can win some titles too. I wish I could have performed a little better, but there’s next year." She also explained the emotional outburst that saw her smash a ball into the crowd and break a racket: "It’s hard to control your emotions when you lose a Grand Slam final, especially when you were aiming for a three‑peat. I needed to let it out; otherwise I would have been unable to speak or would have acted poorly on court. I just wanted to release that aggression and disappointment." Former champions offered their analysis.
Martina Navratilova noted, "We don’t usually see Sabalenka being bullied. She’s used to dictating play and putting opponents on the defensive. This time Rybakina turned the tables and forced Sabalenka onto the back foot. It wasn’t that Sabalenka lost; Rybakina earned the win.
She’ll have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to respond when Rybakina is playing at this level." Marion Bartoli added, "Her best result here before was the fourth round, so to come in with the world No. 1 pressure and win the title is extraordinary.
The way she bounced back at the start of the third set was phenomenal. She seemed to forget the second‑set slip‑up and kept attacking Sabalenka’s serve, putting relentless pressure. Her ball‑striking is on another level; she can do anything on the court. The only Grand Slam left for her is Roland Garros." Laura Robson observed, "We were excited about this final because we know how both players handle big occasions.
Rybakina didn’t flinch despite limited crowd support. Even with a few double faults at the end, under immense pressure she kept going for her shots.
The backhand from Rybakina was lights‑out from start to finish." Rybakina’s victory marks her third Grand Slam title of 2026 and the third of her career, having already captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She now holds three of the four majors; the French Open remains the only tournament missing from her resume to complete a career Grand Slam. Her head‑to‑head record against Sabalenka has improved dramatically, with two Grand Slam final wins this year, and she logged her 41st top‑10 victory, the 10th of the season, and her 49th win overall in 2026.
The US Open final, streamed live on Sky Sports and available through the NOW platform and Sky Sports app, will be remembered as a turning point in women’s tennis, signaling the rise of a new dominant force in Elena Rybakina.