Elena Rybakina denied Aryna Sabalenka a third consecutive US Open title on Saturday, capping her rise to world number one by defeating the player she will replace at the top of the rankings.
Rybakina, who was already assured of becoming world number one after reaching the semi-finals in New York, beat Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to claim her third Grand Slam title.
The Kazakh won her first major at Wimbledon in 2022 before defeating Sabalenka in the Australian Open final to claim her second in January.
“It feels amazing,” Rybakina said. “It’s still so difficult to process what happened. Too many achievements these few weeks. I’m super happy, very proud of all the work. It’s just amazing.”
She ended Sabalenka’s 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, where the 2024 and 2025 champion had not lost since falling to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
“I wish I could have performed a little better,” Sabalenka told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, her voice breaking, “but I guess next year.”
The 28-year-old Belarusian had been bidding to become only the third woman, after Chris Evert and Serena Williams, to win three consecutive US Open titles.
Sabalenka fought back courageously in the second set, breaking Rybakina for the first time in the final game to force a decider.
But Rybakina responded in trademark fashion, recovering her composure to pull away from a frustrated Sabalenka and claim the title.
With an early break in hand in the third set, Rybakina surged towards the finish line. There was a late wobble as she served for the match, with two double faults, but she sealed victory with an ace.
“I feel like the match was so close,” Rybakina said. “Even first set I got early break. Then it was kind of a little bit easier to step in, to be aggressive.
“Then in the second, we were taking our serve. She just played in these same important moments more aggressive.
“I had some little opportunities. Made a couple of mistakes. But then in the third set, I told myself that I can still do it. I need to focus on my serve and just risk a little bit more when I have the chance.”
A disappointed Sabalenka exchanged a brief hug with Rybakina at the net before smashing her racket while sitting in her courtside seat. Rybakina, meanwhile, soaked up the cheers from the crowd.
“I’m obviously not really happy with the level I played today,” Sabalenka said. “But she served incredible. She played really aggressive, great tennis.
‘Better player today’
“She was simply a better player today than me,” Sabalenka added.
The defeat means Sabalenka will finish the year without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022.
The two biggest hitters in the women’s game came out swinging from the start. Rybakina, owner of one of the most feared serves on the WTA Tour, struggled to land her first serve consistently, but it was devastating when it did find its mark.
She put constant pressure on Sabalenka’s serve, earning 12 break points and converting three.
Rybakina seized control in the fifth game of the opening set, repeatedly pushing Sabalenka deep behind the baseline with her powerful groundstrokes.
Unsettled, Sabalenka double-faulted on break point before sending a ball high into the stands, earning a code-violation warning for ball abuse.
Sabalenka was increasingly under pressure. Serving to stay in the set at 5-3, she sent an overhead several feet beyond the baseline before regrouping to close out the game with an ace and a service winner.
But Rybakina would not be denied. She wrapped up the opening set 6-4 with a screaming backhand winner, after Sabalenka sent the decisive shot long.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Sabalenka saving two break points in the third game before hammering down a huge serve to hold.
She had yet to make significant inroads against Rybakina’s serve, but she appeared to have found greater consistency on her own delivery, holding twice to love to move 5-4 ahead.
Sabalenka earned her first break points of the match with a chance to close out the set, but Rybakina held firm.
Sabalenka was nevertheless growing in confidence. She held to take a 6-5 lead before finally breaking Rybakina
