Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the US Open women’s singles title on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory captures Rybakina her first Flushing Meadows trophy, her third career Grand Slam title, and the world No. 1 ranking.
Elena Rybakina Overcomes Service Struggles and Injury to Claim New York Crown
Elena Rybakina arrived at the 2026 US Open unsure if she would be fit enough to even play after an ankle injury sustained at the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals left her unable to walk for several days. Yet the 27-year-old Kazakhstani battled through her opening matches, pushed past Zheng Qinwen and home favorite Coco Gauff, and ultimately reached the final against top seed Aryna Sabalenka. Arthur Ashe was loud and cheering for Rybakina, despite her reaching the final after beating the American star Coco Gauff.
The championship match on Saturday afternoon began with Rybakina’s signature weapon completely misfiring. Widely recognized as owner of the best first serve in the world, Rybakina landed a dismal 27 percent of her first serves in the opening set—depositing just eight of 30 attempts into the box. Before the final, Rybakina had not really played her best tennis this year in New York, but the whole title run stands as the greatest mental performance of her career. She has had to overcome an achilles injury that sidelined her for a week before the tournament.
I was coming here for the last 10 years and it was never successful. I'm falling in love with New York more and more,
Rybakina, 27, said.
Sabalenka, seeking her third consecutive US Open title, failed to capitalize on the unaccustomed stream of second serves. Rybakina instead dismantled her opponent off the ground, dominating baseline exchanges and utilizing her backhand with clinical precision to take the opening set. After winning the first set, Rybakina faced some resistance from the two-time US Open winner as she took the second set. This meant the final was going to be decided in three sets, and that is when Rybakina turned up. She made it extremely hard for the World Number 1 in the third with her jaw-dropping shotmaking. It ended 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in favour of the Kazakh tennis sensation, who won her third-ever Grand Slam title.
The Battle of World No. 1 and Hard-Court Supremacy
The stakes at Arthur Ashe Stadium extended far beyond the silver trophy. Monday’s official update cements a changing of the guard at the summit of women’s tennis. Rybakina had already been guaranteed to replace Sabalenka at No. 1 in the rankings next week and for good measure took the US Open title that Sabalenka had won the previous two years.
Rybakina earned $5.5 million, the largest prize in Grand Slam history.
| Player | Tournament Seed | Prize Money | Key Hard-Court Titles Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elena Rybakina | No. 2 | $5.5 million | Australian Open, US Open, WTA Finals |
| Aryna Sabalenka | No. 1 | Two-time former US Open champion |
Rybakina Previously Defeated Sabalenka in January to Claim the Australian Open Title
Rybakina previously defeated Sabalenka in January to claim the Australian Open title. Sabalenka’s Streak Ends as Rybakina Closes in on Career Grand Slam
Saturday’s Result Snapped Sabalenka’s 19-Match Winning Streak at Flushing Meadows
Saturday’s result snapped Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, a run of dominance that stretched back to her loss against Coco Gauff in the 2023 final. No. 1 seed and two-time defending U.S. Open champ Aryna Sabalenka looked to achieve the coveted three-peat win of the title on Saturday. With her victory in New York joining her previous triumphs at Wimbledon in 2022 and Melbourne earlier this season, Rybakina now holds three Grand Slam titles. She stands just a French Open victory away from completing the career Grand Slam, establishing herself as the undisputed new standard-bearer in women’s professional tennis.
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