Rybakina dethrones Sabalenka for first US Open crown

New York: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to lift the US Open women’s singles crown.

With a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory in 2 hours and 21 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rybakina, who also beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January, bookended her Grand Slam season with her third Major title. She now sits one Roland Garros trophy away from completing the Career Slam. During her run to the title—her first at a US Open—Rybakina had also ended Sabalenka’s 99-week hold on the No. 1 ranking. She racked up enough points to rise to world No. 1 when the rankings are updated on Monday.

Rybakina is the third player since 2000 to win the Australian Open and US Open in the same season, joining Angelique Kerber (2016) and Sabalenka (2024). It’s her third title of 2026 and the 14th of her career.

She improved to 8-10 against Sabalenka on the WTA Tour. Her past three wins in the rivalry have all come on the biggest stages: the WTA Finals championship match last fall, the Australian Open final in January and Saturday’s US Open final.

In defeating Sabalenka to capture the title, Rybakina became the first player to beat the defending women’s singles champion in the US Open final since Serena Williams in 2002 -- and the first at any Grand Slam since Madison Keys at the 2025 Australian Open. She is also the first player to defeat the World No. 1 in the US Open final since Williams, who beat Victoria Azarenka in 2012.

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