Elena Rybakina solidified her status as the world number one by claiming her first US Open title on Saturday. The 27-year-old Kazakh secured a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in New York, adding the trophy to her previous Grand Slam successes at the 2023 Australian Open and 2022 Wimbledon.
Entering the tournament under a cloud of uncertainty due to an ankle injury, Rybakina exceeded her own expectations. She is now one of only three women in the 21st century to win both major hardcourt titles in a single calendar year, joining Sabalenka and Angelique Kerber in that exclusive group. Reflecting on her performance, she admitted that despite the physical setbacks, everything aligned perfectly during her time in Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina’s victory was built on remarkable composure, effectively snapping Sabalenka’s 20-match win streak at the venue. Sabalenka, who had been bidding to join legends Chris Evert and Serena Williams as a three-time consecutive US Open winner, struggled to break down Rybakina’s formidable serve throughout the match. Rybakina utilized her deep groundstrokes to pile on the pressure, eventually converting three of her twelve break point opportunities.
The match was characterized by high-intensity rallies as the top two hitters in the women’s game battled for dominance. While Rybakina dominated the opening set with an early break and a powerful backhand winner to close it 6-4, the momentum shifted slightly in the second. Sabalenka fought back with newfound aggression, finally securing her first break of the match in the final game of the second set to force a decider.
The brief reprieve for the Belarusian was quickly extinguished in the third set. Although Rybakina faced a minor challenge with double faults while serving for the match, she ultimately sealed the championship with a clinical ace. Sabalenka, clearly frustrated by the result, acknowledged that Rybakina was the superior player on the day, noting that her opponent’s aggressive serving and precise shot-making were too much to overcome.
For Sabalenka, the loss marks the end of a difficult year, as she finishes the season without a major title for the first time since 2022. During the post-match trophy presentation, she expressed disappointment in her performance while offering congratulations to her opponent. Rybakina, conversely, was overwhelmed by her success, telling the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium that she was still processing her achievement and becoming increasingly fond of New York.
Rybakina’s tactical approach throughout the final was rooted in resilience. She noted that after dropping the second set, she reminded herself to stay focused, trust her service game, and take calculated risks whenever the opportunity presented itself. This aggressive mindset proved decisive as she surged ahead in the final set to claim the trophy.
The match concluded with a brief hug at the net, after which a visibly upset Sabalenka was seen striking her racquet in frustration at her player’s box. Rybakina, however, remained focused on the milestone, describing the past few weeks as a whirlwind of achievements that left her feeling deeply proud of her team and her persistent work on the court. The report also notes that but the 27-year-old shrugged off those concerns to add the US Open title to her Australian Open triumph this year and Wimbledon success in 2022, an ankle injury had threatened to derail Rybakina’s campaign even before the tournament started. The report also notes that somehow, everything aligned together on my side. The report also notes that aryna… it’s so difficult to play against you. The report also notes that you push me to the limit. “I want to say thank you to the beautiful spectators for such a beautiful atmosphere. The report also notes that i’m falling in love with New York more and more. The report also notes that it feels amazing,” Rybakina said. “It’s still so difficult to process what happened. The report also notes that very proud of all the work, i’m super happy. The report also notes that where the 2024 and 2025 champion hadn’t lost since falling to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final, she ended Sabalenka’s 20-match winning streak in Flushing Meadows.
