Elena Rybakina closed the US Open with two awards of enormous weight: the title and the number one in the world. Kazakhs defeated Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday by 6-4, 5-7 and 6-2 in 2 hours and 21 minutes to win their third Grand Slam and move the Belarusian from the top of the ranking.
The victory also represents Rybakina’s second victory over Sabalenka in a “big” final during 2026. The Kazakhs had already surpassed their rival at the Australian Open, while now it prevented the Belarusian from reaching her third consecutive title in New York, after her consacrations in 2024 and 2025.
Rybakina has turned the finals against Sabalenka into one of his most favorable scenarios. Of the seven definitions that both have disputed, the Kazakh won five, although the overall history between the two continues to favor the Belarusian, with 10 victories over eight.
The match had a different outcome than the second set, when Sabalenka managed to recover ground and took the final to a third set. Rybakina regained control after passing through the dressing rooms and found a break in the third game of the final set.
The Kazaja confirmed that advantage with their service to put 3-1 and, later, again broke Sabalenka to place 5-2. In the next game he left no room for another reaction: he closed the championship with an ‘ace’ and completed the 6-2.
Winning starts here ?? pic.twitter.com/hHAYvbzDnX
The final began with a more concentrated Rybakina. The two players share a style based on powerful services and short points, but Sabalenka had problems from the early games and had to defend bankruptcy opportunities while accumulating mistakes.
The only break of the first set came in the fifth game. Rybakina seized the opportunity, consolidated the advantage and placed 4-2. Although he only managed to get 27% of his first services, he won 88% of the points when he managed to introduce them and 68% with the second sack.
Sabalenka failed to find a response and ended up giving off the hand by 6-4.
The situation changed in the second half. The Belarusian increased the pressure and had two set balls when Rybakina pulled out with 5-4 and 15-40. The Kazaja saved both, but Sabalenka had a third chance minutes later and this time managed to take advantage of it to win 7-5 and force the third set.
Rybakina, however, responded better to the change of stage.After returning from the dressing rooms, she broke the service of Sabalenka and took an advantage she would no longer lose.
Elena Rybakina is running away with it!She leads Sabalenka 3-1 in the third set. pic.twitter.com/e1pFm7eaOG
The statistics reflected the champion's control. Rybakina ended up with 36 winning hits and 24 unforced mistakes, while Sabalenka recorded 32 winners and 35 mistakes. The Kazaja also won 71% of the points with her service and 39% to the rest, numbers that allowed her to have up to 12 break opportunities.
With the US Open title, Rybakina added the 14th trophy of her career. It is his third Grand Slam title after Wimbledon 2022 and the Australian Open 2026, as well as his third title this year, after Australia and Stuttgart.
For Sabalenka, the defeat completed a season in which he also won three titles, in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami, but lost the finals of Australia and New York and fell prematurely at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. After 99 weeks in number one, the Belarusian left the top of the ranking against a rival who defeated her twice in Grand Slam finals during 2026.
