Elena Rybakina produced a historic performance at Flushing Meadows, defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open women's singles final to claim her first US Open title.
The victory earned Rybakina her third Grand Slam crown, adding to her Wimbledon triumph in 2022 and her Australian Open title in 2026. The Kazakh player had already secured the World No. 1 ranking by reaching the semifinals and will now officially take over the top spot from Sabalenka.
Rybakina also etched her name in tennis history with the victory. She became only the second woman in the Open Era, after Steffi Graf in 1995, to defeat a reigning World No. 1 in two Grand Slam finals during the same calendar year.
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The final was closely contested, with both players producing powerful tennis throughout the three-set battle. Rybakina made the stronger start, breaking Sabalenka to establish an early advantage and eventually taking the opening set 6-4.
Sabalenka responded strongly in the second set. The Belarusian saved two set points before producing a late break to level the contest at one set apiece with a 7-5 victory, forcing a decisive third set.
Rybakina, however, regained control when it mattered most. She broke Sabalenka twice in the final set and maintained her composure to close out a 6-2 victory and secure the championship.
The defeat ended Sabalenka's remarkable 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows. It also leaves the Belarusian without a Grand Slam title in 2026, despite reaching the US Open final.
For Rybakina, the triumph marks another major milestone in an increasingly decorated career and confirms her arrival at the summit of women's tennis.
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