Queens, NY—Elena Rybakina has added another major championship to her résumé, and this one came at the expense of the player who had ruled Flushing Meadows for the past two years.
Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday to capture her first U.S. Open championship and officially take over the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis.
The victory marked a significant changing of the guard at the U.S. Open. Sabalenka had entered the final as the two-time defending champion and had won 19 consecutive matches at the tournament. Her last loss in New York came against Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Instead, Rybakina ended Sabalenka’s remarkable run and became the latest player to claim the trophy at Flushing Meadows.
“There’s tough to find words right now, honestly,” Rybakina said after the match. “I didn’t expect nothing like this coming to this tournament. I’ve been dealing a little bit with an injury, but somehow everything aligned together on my side.”
Rybakina had already secured the top spot in the WTA rankings before Saturday’s final. Winning the championship, however, gave her much more than a No. 1 ranking. She now owns three Grand Slam titles and has defeated Sabalenka twice this season in major finals.
Earlier this year, Rybakina defeated Sabalenka on the hard courts at the Australian Open. She added another victory over her rival Saturday on the biggest stage in New York.
The final was the 18th meeting between the two players, with Sabalenka holding a 10-8 advantage in their career rivalry. Sabalenka had also won their other two meetings this season at Indian Wells and Miami.
Rybakina controlled much of the opening set, using her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game to take a 6-4 advantage.
Sabalenka responded in the second set and appeared ready to extend her championship reign. She fought back to win 7-5, forcing the final into a deciding set and giving herself an opportunity to make history.
But Rybakina quickly regained control.
After dropping the first game of the third set, Rybakina showed some frustration when she missed a backhand on a break-point opportunity. The moment proved to be only a brief setback. She settled down, found her rhythm and took command of the match.
Rybakina pulled away in the deciding set, eventually closing out the 6-2 victory and lifting the U.S. Open trophy for the first time.
For Sabalenka, the loss ended her bid to become the first woman since Serena Williams from 2012 through 2014 to win three consecutive U.S. Open championships.
Sabalenka, who has established herself as one of the tournament’s most dominant players in recent years, acknowledged how much she has enjoyed her success in New York.
“I really felt like home here and cannot wait to come back next year,” Sabalenka said. “I wish I could perform a little bit better, but I guess next year.”
Saturday’s final was only the third women’s U.S. Open championship match since 2000 featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. It was also the first time the No. 2 seed won that matchup.
Serena Williams won the other two finals, defeating Venus Williams in 2002 and Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
Rybakina, 27, was born in Russia but represents Kazakhstan. She burst onto the Grand Slam scene by winning Wimbledon in 2022 before adding Australian Open and U.S. Open titles to her résumé.
Only the French Open remains between Rybakina and a career Grand Slam.
With her latest triumph, Rybakina has not only claimed another major championship but also established herself as the new No. 1 player in women’s tennis.
The U.S. Open concludes Sunday with the men’s singles final, as American Ben Shelton takes on Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
