Rybakina beats Sabalenka to end US Open reign and take No. 1
Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the US Open women's singles title on Saturday.
The final was played on 12 September 2026 on Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York and lasted 2 hours and 21 minutes, WTA. It is Rybakina's first US Open title and her third Grand Slam — one of tennis's four biggest tournaments — overall, BBC.
Sabalenka arrived as the two-time defending champion. A win would have given her three US Open titles in a row, a three-peat. Rybakina stopped her.
The result also settles the top of the women's game. Rybakina clinched the world No. 1 ranking, the top spot in the rankings, by reaching the semi-finals in New York, US Open. Sabalenka, who held that No. 1 ranking going into the tournament, loses it to the woman who beat her in the final.
This was a rivalry match. Saturday was the 18th meeting between Sabalenka and Rybakina, with Sabalenka leading their head-to-head 10-7 beforehand, US Open. Rybakina has now beaten Sabalenka in two Slam finals, having also beaten her in the Australian Open final.
Rybakina had to fight to get there. In the quarter-finals she lost the first set to Qinwen Zheng before winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. In the semi-finals she did it again, coming from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach her first US Open final.
What makes this stand out is the repeat. To beat the same champion in Melbourne and New York takes nerve. Sabalenka took the second set and forced a decider. Rybakina answered with the cleanest set of the match, 6-2. No clock. Nowhere to hide. New champion.
