Elena Rybakina captured her first US Open title on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, overcoming top seed Aryna Sabalenka with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory. The win marks a significant milestone for the 27-year-old, who will ascend to the world No. 1 position in the women’s tennis rankings following her performance. The triumph, her third career Grand Slam title after winning the Australian Open earlier this year, saw her earn a record-breaking $5.5 million in prize money.
The match began with Rybakina dominating the opening set, which she closed out in 44 minutes. Despite a struggle with her first serve—landing only 27%—she remained clinical, dropping just eight points off her serve without ever facing a break point. Sabalenka, visibly frustrated during the early stages, engaged in a spirited comeback throughout the second set. The 28-year-old Belarusian capitalised on her opportunities, finally breaking through to secure the set 7-5 and forcing a decider. Making her feelings known about the struggles as she mouthed her displeasure to herself and her coaching box, the Belarusian Sabalenka looked at odds with herself for a good portion of the opening set. And in an even more shocking outcome, Rybakina, the Russian-born Kazakhstani, won the set while only completing only 27% of her first serves in. She only lost eight of the 30 points off her serve and never faced a break point, despite her struggles. While up 5-4, had the chance to put the set away twice but both times, Rybakina drew right back to tie it up at 5-5, the 28-year-old. Quickly jumping out to a 5-2 double-break lead, putting Sabalenka on the ropes with the frustration coming back to haunt her, the 27-year-old Rybakina came out on a mission to start the third set. I was dying on the court and just tried to get all the possible balls … I can’t find the words, I am sorry.”.
Rybakina regained momentum in the third set, surging to a 5-2 lead before sealing the match with an emphatic ace. Her victory brought an end to Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at the US Open, denying the defending champion a third consecutive title—a feat only previously achieved in the Open era by Serena Williams and Chris Evert. Following the final point, a visibly frustrated Sabalenka smashed her racket on the bench after a brief embrace at the net.
Reflecting on the achievement, Rybakina admitted she found it difficult to articulate the moment, noting that she had been managing a minor injury coming into the event. She credited the energetic New York atmosphere for her success, contrasting it with her previous ten years of unsuccessful appearances at the tournament. She praised Sabalenka as a great champion who pushed her to her absolute limits throughout the high-intensity match. “I’ve been dealing with a little injury but somehow everything aligned together on my side.”.
Sabalenka, while acknowledging her disappointment, congratulated her opponent on an outstanding season. The Belarusian encouraged Rybakina to enjoy the victory, noting that the title was well-deserved. Sabalenka’s loss concludes a streak that included tournament wins in 2024 and 2025 following her 2023 final loss to Coco Gauff. Both players currently lead the tour this season with three titles each, alongside French Open champion Mirra Andreeva.
This performance solidified Rybakina’s status as a dominant force in the sport, as she successfully aligned her form during this tournament. Her ability to stay composed under pressure against a seasoned rival like Sabalenka defined the afternoon, as she ultimately secured her place in tennis history.
