Rybakina claims first US Open title, ends Sabalenka's three-peat bid

Elena Rybakina walked off the court at Flushing Meadows on Saturday with her first U.S. Open title and something larger still: the world No. 1 ranking. She had just defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the women's final, snapping a 19-match winning streak that Sabalenka had built at this tournament since losing to Coco Gauff in the 2023 championship match.

For Sabalenka, the loss meant the end of a bid to become the first player since Serena Williams to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles. Williams achieved that feat from 2012 to 2014. Sabalenka had already claimed the trophy in 2024 and 2025, and she arrived Saturday as the defending champion with momentum on her side. But Rybakina, the No. 2 seed, had other plans.

The match turned decisively in the third set. Rybakina showed some frustration early—pulling a backhand wide when she had a break point in the opening game—but she quickly seized control after that moment and did not relinquish it. By the time the final set concluded, the changing of the guard in women's tennis felt official. Rybakina's ascent to No. 1 had already been mathematically guaranteed before Saturday, but winning the title made the transition unmistakable.

This victory marks Rybakina's second Grand Slam championship of 2026. She won the Australian Open earlier this year, also on a hard court, also against Sabalenka. The 27-year-old, who was born in Russia but represents Kazakhstan, first broke through at the Grand Slam level when she won Wimbledon in 2022. Now, with Australian and U.S. Open titles in hand, she stands one major away from completing a career Grand Slam—a French Open victory would seal that achievement.

In the immediate aftermath, Rybakina struggled to articulate the weight of what she had accomplished. "It's tough to find words right now, honestly," she said. "I don't expect nothing like this coming to this tournament. I've been dealing with a little bit with an injury, but somehow everything aligned together on my side." Sabalenka, for her part, acknowledged the loss with grace. "I really felt like home here and cannot wait to come back next year," she said. "I wish I could perform a little bit better, but I guess next year."

The final itself carried historical significance beyond the two players involved. It was only the third U.S. Open women's championship since 2000 to feature the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds facing each other. In the other two instances, Serena Williams held the top seed and won both times—defeating her sister Venus in 2002 and Victoria Azarenka in 2013. This time, the No. 2 seed prevailed, a rarity in this particular matchup.

Head-to-head, Sabalenka still leads their rivalry 10-8, having won their two most recent meetings this season on hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami. But those victories now feel like footnotes to Rybakina's larger momentum. She has claimed two of the year's four major titles and seized the sport's top ranking in the process. The question now is whether she can complete the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros, the one major that has eluded her so far.