Aryna Sabalenka, the two‑time defending champion, arrives in New York with the chance to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win three consecutive US Open titles. Her opponent in the Saturday final at Flushing Meadows is the newly crowned world number one, Elena Rybakina, who is eager to capture her maiden US Open trophy and cement her rise to the top of the women's game.
Rybakina’s 2024 campaign has been nothing short of spectacular. After defeating Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier in the year, the Kazakh player amassed a string of deep runs that propelled her to the No.1 spot on Monday, ending Sabalenka’s 99‑week tenure at the summit.
Yet the Belarusian champion is not about to surrender the title without a fight. She will have the opportunity to exact revenge for the Melbourne loss and to defend her US Open crown against the player who has been her most formidable rival this season. Sabalenka’s résumé places her among an elite group of world‑number‑one players who have contested at least five Grand Slam finals. Since 1988, only Steffi Graf (20 finals), Serena Williams (14), Monica Seles (9) and Martina Hingis (9) have achieved a similar feat.
The Belarusian is now contesting her ninth major final and rides a 19‑match winning streak in New York, a run that underscores her dominance on the hard courts. Her record at the US Open over the past five years stands at 36‑3, and she has reached eight consecutive hard‑court majors, tallying seven top‑10 victories this season alone.
All of these statistics point to a genuine three‑peat being within her grasp. Speaking after a recent match, Sabalenka reflected on the pressures of holding the world No.1 ranking.
“I understand how difficult it is to stay at the top,” she said. “It takes a lot of work, and that was one of my goals, but there were moments this season when I didn’t perform at my best. Elena took advantage of those moments and played brilliantly. I can only focus on myself, stay in the present and give my best.
Maybe I’ll take the ranking back from her.” She added that losing the No.1 spot while still performing well in a tournament felt odd, but she embraced it as part of sport’s inherent drama. “That’s the beauty of sport,” she noted. “Everyone is chasing everyone, and it’s all about the little improvements that make the difference.” Rybakina, the first Kazakh player ever to reach the top of the WTA rankings, echoed a similar sentiment about the final. “It’s an important match, and because it’s a final, it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side – you just want to win and give your best,” she explained.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself; the rankings are so close that even if something goes wrong, I still have many opportunities later in the year. Playing against someone like Aryna pushes me to my limits and shows me where I need to improve.” Both athletes have spoken about the mental and physical demands of a US Open final. Sabalenka’s performance coach, Jason Stacy, praised her self‑awareness, saying, “Aryna knows who she is and what she’s capable of.
She understands that on a big stage she must raise her level. She sees this tournament as her house and the other players as guests – it’s time for them to leave.” Former Belarusian pro Max Mirnyi added that Sabalenka thrives under the spotlight, especially during night sessions, and that her personality fits the New York atmosphere perfectly.
The path to the final has been dramatic for both competitors. Rybakina rallied past Coco Gauff in a thrilling semi‑final, demonstrating the resilience that has become her trademark this season. The two finalists have already met in two Grand Slam finals: Sabalenka prevailed in the 2023 Australian Open, while Rybakina turned the tables in Melbourne earlier this year.
Their rivalry has thus evolved into a compelling narrative of two top‑seeded athletes pushing each other to new heights. Sabalenka has admitted that winning a third US Open title means more to her than simply retaining the world No.1 ranking.
“I would rather win a third US Open than keep the number one spot,” she said, underscoring her focus on tangible achievements rather than rankings alone. Her coach’s comments reinforce this mindset, emphasizing that the tournament is a personal battlefield where Sabalenka must assert her dominance. The final will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis from 5 p.m. on Saturday, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app for viewers without a contract.
Fans can also catch the Laver Cup later in September at The O2 in London, also on Sky Sports. As the two top seeds prepare to clash, the stakes could not be higher.
Sabalenka aims to write history with a rare three‑peat, while Rybakina seeks to solidify her newly earned No.1 status with a maiden US Open triumph. The match promises a blend of power, precision, and mental fortitude, offering a showcase of the sport’s finest talents at a moment when every point could tip the balance of the women's game for years to come.