Rybakina Defeats Sabalenka in Three Sets
Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the US Open and become the new world No. 1. The victory marks Rybakina’s first US Open title and her third Grand Slam championship overall. She had long been seen as a devastating shotmaker but was often considered just below the most consistent and mentally tough players of her era. With this win, she leaves New York as the undisputed best tennis player on the planet.
A Mental Test Overcome
Rybakina’s path to the title was filled with challenges. She suffered an Achilles injury that kept her sidelined for a week before the tournament and left her unsure if she would even compete. She also faced the pressure of trying to clinch the world No. 1 ranking while knowing exactly which results she needed. In the second week, she faced four consecutive Grand Slam or Olympic champions and cleared every hurdle without hesitation. Her ability to handle these trials gave her the confidence to play an assured match against her biggest rival.
The Match Unfolds
The final began with Rybakina’s serve, normally her greatest weapon, completely misfiring. She landed only 27 per cent of her first serves in the opening set. Despite this, every other part of her game was flowing perfectly. She used her return to pressure Sabalenka, dominated baseline exchanges, and her backhand was flawless. Sabalenka was unsettled and double-faulted to give up the decisive break at 2-3. She received a code violation after striking a ball into the crowd and appeared frustrated throughout the match.
Sabalenka fought back in the second set. A strong serving run helped her gain rhythm, and she took advantage of Rybakina becoming slightly more erratic from the baseline. At 5-4, Sabalenka earned her first break points but was too tense to convert. At 6-5, she muscled her way to a third set point and pounded a backhand return winner to force a decider.
Even with a roaring two-time defending champion charging at her, Elena Rybakina was unfazed. She reset immediately, and her serve returned to its precise, destructive best. She fired down aces and forced Sabalenka to keep up. Sabalenka, like so many players over the past year, simply could not match her.
Historic Achievements
With this victory, Rybakina takes Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking and her US Open title. She now holds the three biggest hard-court titles: the Australian Open, the US Open, and the WTA Finals. She joins Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Ash Barty, Angelique Kerber, and Virginia Wade as three-time Grand Slam champions. Having previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open, Elena Rybakina is now just a French Open away from completing the career Grand Slam.
A Rivalry for the Ages
This was a historic encounter. It was just the second time in the 38-year history of the Australian Open and US Open, both being played on hard courts, that the same two rivals had competed in both finals. It was also a rare tussle between the top two players in the world, with the ranking certain to switch hands. This was the third time they had faced each other in a major final, and those meetings have yielded three supreme battles. Sabalenka, who was seeking a third consecutive US Open title, performed incredibly well to reach the final but was clearly unsettled by the occasion.
Explore: The Top 5 Most Successful Clubs in UEFA Champions League History