By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, September 12, 2026
Photo credit: Sarah Stier/Getty
NEW YORK——Riding a screaming serve and backhand battering ram, Elena Rybakina rocked Aryna Sabalenka backward.
The second-seeded Rybakina dethroned two-time defending champion Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to capture her maiden US Open championship and third Grand Slam crown.
On her second championship point, Rybakina rocketed her 12th ace down the T to close a confident two hour, 21-minute triumph.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion bookends the 2026 season with Slam title trophies ruling Melbourne and now reigning as Queen of Queens as the first Kazakh to win the US Open singles championship.
“It’s tough to find words right now. Coming to this tournament I’ve been dealing a little bit with injury somehow everything aligned on my side,” Rybakina said after receiving the trophy from former No. 1 Maria Sharapova. “I just want to say, Aryna, you are a great champion, it’s so tough to play against you…Congrats to you and congrats to your team.
“You guys do an amazing job. I can’t find the words now sorry. I want to say thank you to such beautiful spectators for such an amazing atmosphere. I was coming here last 10 years it was never successful nothing close to it.
“I’m falling in love with New York more and more. It’s amazing memories for me. Thank you guys.”
An irate Sabalenka spiked her Wilson Blade racquet to the hard-court leaving a mangled mess after seeing bowing to Rybakina for the second time in a Slam final this season.
Scoring three consecutive three-set wins, Rybakina surpassed Sabalenka for the top spot by reaching the semifinals. One round after snapping Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of tennis, Rybakina shattered Sabalenka’s 19-match Flushing Meadows winning streak. Sabalanka saw her quest to become the first woman to three-peat as US Open champion since Serena Williams, 2012 to 2014, said she was simply outplayed today.
“Well, yeah, I’m obviously not really happy with the level I played today, but she served incredible,” Sabalenka said. “She played really aggressive, great tennis.
“Yeah, she was simply a better player today than me.”
An anguished Sabalenka, who so desperately wanted to retain her title after losing her No. 1 ranking, pressed back tears speaking to Ashe Stadium fans.
“Thank you everyone,” an emotional Sabalenka said. “Thank you for your support throughout the past two weeks. Obviously, I’m disappointed. I want to congratulate Elena on an incredible year and incredible result. Well deserved.”
“Thank you to my team. I wish I could perform a little bit better, but maybe next year. Thank you.”
Tomorrow, Rybakina will wake up as new world No. 1—the 30th woman in the Open Era to hold the top spot—with three major championships to her credit. Rybakina can complete the career Grand Slam by winning Roland Garros
In a superb start, the major champions were cracking winners from all areas before a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that included Hall of Famers Jennifer Capriati, Tracy Austin, Billie Jean King and Gabriela Sabatini as well as actors Brad Pitt and Rami Malek.
Ten months ago, the sixth-seeded Rybakina completed a dominant undefeated Riyadh run sweeping Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(0) in the final. Rybakina raised the Billie Jean King title trophy, registered her 11th consecutive victory—and collected a WTA record champion’s check of $5.235 million.
Today, Rybakina was nearly untouchable on serve defeating Sabalenka for the second Slam final of the year and collecting a US Open champion’s check of $5.5 million.
The pair had split 14 career hard-court clashes and both brought the heat on serve.
The Rybakina two hander is a scary shot and she brought the fear factor early, rapping a backhand pass crosscourt for double break point. Sabalenka slammed forehand winners, eventually erasing three break points in all, then fired an ace holding for 2-1.
The second seed answered with a two ace game to level.
Straddling the baseline, a rushed Sabalenka slapped a backhand into the net to face a fourth break point. An overly-ambitious Sabalenka sent a double fault long ceding serve and a 3-2 lead then belting a ball into the crowd in a show of frustration, and incurring a code violation warning for ball abuse.
Sliding an ace out wide, Rybakina rolled through a second love hold extending her lead to 4-2—without committing a single unforced error in the process.
Framing a wild wide forehand, Sabalenka faced another break point but punished a crosscourt forehand to save it. The woman in neon orange scraped through a tense hold in the seventh game.
Despite her first serve fleeing for much of the eighth game, Rybakina banged a 102 mph body serve on a second delivery for 5-3.
The Australian Open champion staved off a couple of break points serving her way to a one-set lead. Rybakina served just 27 percent, but won 15 of 22 second-serve points.
The winner of the first set had won 29 of the last 31 US Open women’s finals and Rybakina was 12-0 when winning the opening set in Flushing Meadows.
Rifling a flat return right into the Belarusian’s hip, Rybakina rattled out an error for break point in the third game of the second set. Sabalenka withstood it and came through the came unscathed. Rapping her fourth ace, Rybakina held to even after four games.
Stabilizing her serve and mood, Sabalanka stamped her first love hold for 4-3.
A double fault and stray forehand put the second seed down in the 10th game. Then Sabalenka scalded her best return down the line earning double set point on the Kazakh’s serve.
Amping up her grunt, Sabalenka sent a forehand long on the first set point. A terrific second serve stretched the Belarusian and her backhand went wide on the second set point.
Whipping the wide serve to set up a forcing forehand winner down the line, Rybakina held strong to level after 10 games.
Tomahawking a bold forehand drive volley down the line, Sabalenka sealed a six-minute hold—the longest game of the final—edging ahead for 6-5.
Strengthened by that struggle, Sabalenka drew a framed error for a third set point on the second seed’s serve.
Reading the wide serve, Sabalenka clubbed a backhand return down the line breaking to seize the second set on her third set point.
It was the lone break of the second set. By then the pair had won precisely 71 points apiece with the US Open championship riding on the final set.
Dodging a break point to start the third, Sabalenka held to start the third set. Two games later, Rybakina showed her defensive skills stretching a lot back deep in the court for double break point. Sabalenka could not control her forehand as Rybakina broke for a 2-1 lead.
Rybakina managed a strong hold at 15 extending to 3-1.
Hammering deep drives down the middle, Rybakina rapped out a second break point. Following a forehand down the line forward, Rybakina wristed a forehand volley into the open court breaking for 5-2.
A disconsolate Sabalenka stared at the ground as she walked to her court-side seat knowing the moment had passed. Sabalanke still leads her head-to-head with Rybakina, 10-8, but the new No. 1 has set a higher standard in their two major finals this year leaving Sabalenka chasing the top spot and her first tile since Miami last April.
“We have a great rivalry. We play a lot of great matches, great finals this season,” Sabalenka said. “Yeah her serve is amazing, the way she able to step in and overpower you on court, and especially if it’s a US Open court where it’s super fast, definitely huge advantage for her.
“A lot of things makes her dangerous.”
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