New World No. 1 Elena Rybakina Wins Maiden US Open Title in Three-Set Epic

NEW YORK — Elena Rybakina crowned the finest season of her career on Saturday, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win her first US Open title and officially begin her reign as the new world No. 1.

The 27-year-old Kazakh produced a composed and powerful performance under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, overcoming a spirited fightback from Sabalenka to claim her third Grand Slam singles title. The victory also ended the Belarusian’s remarkable winning streak in New York and denied her a rare third consecutive US Open crown.

Rybakina arrived at Flushing Meadows carrying both expectation and uncertainty. An ankle injury had disrupted her preparation in the weeks before the tournament, yet she steadily grew stronger with every round, securing the world No. 1 ranking by reaching the semi-finals before completing the job with the championship trophy.

The final lived up to its billing as a clash between the tour’s two dominant hard-court players. Rybakina struck first, breaking Sabalenka’s serve with relentless depth and clean ball-striking to take the opening set 6-4. Her trademark calm contrasted sharply with Sabalenka’s emotional intensity as the defending champion struggled to find rhythm.

Sabalenka refused to surrender quietly. She raised her level in the second set, attacking Rybakina’s second serve and forcing longer rallies before edging the set 7-5 to level the contest. The comeback reignited hopes of another dramatic New York triumph and briefly shifted momentum in front of a roaring crowd.

But the deciding set belonged entirely to Rybakina. She broke early, tightened her serve and dictated play from the baseline with remarkable precision, sealing victory after two hours and 21 minutes with a commanding final-set display.

The triumph marks Rybakina’s second Grand Slam title of 2026 following her Australian Open victory, adding to the Wimbledon crown she captured in 2022. It also makes her the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach world No. 1 in women’s singles, a landmark achievement for the nation’s tennis programme.

For Sabalenka, the defeat brings an end to a lengthy spell at the top of the WTA rankings after nearly two years as the sport’s leading player. Despite falling short of history in New York, she congratulated Rybakina after the match and vowed to return stronger next season.

Rybakina’s victory signals more than the arrival of a new champion — it marks a changing of the guard in women’s tennis. Having conquered two hard-court Grand Slams in the same year and dethroned the player who defined the recent era, she now enters the next chapter not as a challenger, but as the woman everyone else must beat.