Elena Rybakina knocks off Aryna Sabalenka for first US Open title

Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News on Sep 12, 2026

Published in Tennis

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NEW YORK — Elena Rybakina came into the US Open with a good chance of leaving the tournament on a positive note — and seizing such joy from No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.

Ranked No. 2 in live rankings entering the final major of the year, a semifinal berth guaranteed Rybakina the top ranking in the WTA Tour. She grabbed that spot after a quarterfinals win over Qinwen Zheng.

Rybakina proved she wasn’t done just yet after facing off against the Belarusian in the Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Not only did Rybakina take Sabalenka’s top spot, she denied her a chance to three-peat at the US Open following a three-set victory on Saturday.

“It feels amazing. It’s still so difficult to process what happened,” said the 2026 US Open champion. Rybakina added she had yet to decide how she and the team planned to celebrate the win.

“Too much achievements these few weeks. I’m super happy, very proud of all the work. Yeah, it’s just amazing. Difficult to find words, but super happy.”

Rybakina — who used a service ace before double faulting on championship point No. 1 to secure the match — celebrated with her hands raised immediately after a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win to capture her second major title of the year.

The first came at the top of the year with a defeat of Sabalenka at the Australian Open. Now, Rybakina took down Sabalenka for a title eight months later. The win gives Rybakina her first US Open title and third major title overall.

Rybakina proved she truly deserved the No. 1 spot with a win over the now former WTA crown holder Sabalenka, who owned it for 99 weeks — a win sweeter than a glass of honey deuce.

And for Sabalenka, the loss leaves her without a 2026 major title after coming out on top in the 2025 US Open with a win over American Amanda Anisimova.

Sabalenka won the event in 2024 and a victory in this year’s Open would’ve made her the first player to win three consecutive US Open tournaments since Serena Williams (2012-14).

But prior to hopes of an Open three-peat being put to bed, Sabalenka attempted a comeback that seemed possible despite dropping the opening set.

In that set, Sabalenka failed to take advantage of Rybakina’s poor service games. Rybakina managed just 27% on first serves. Sabalenka, however, failed to turn those mistakes into break points as her opponent garnered success with the quality of her second serves.

“Yeah, I was thinking about this and that I need to really improve the first-serve percentage. It was not going,” Rybakina said, “But then I was still trying to pick a spot and at least go a little bit more with the second serve.

“Few double faults here and there, but I kind of had a plan in my head, and I was just sticking to it. Yeah, I feel like after, in the important moments, my serve got better, and it helped me a lot.”

It was Rybakina who got the break point in the set, which frustrated Sabalenka enough to smash a ball into the packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. The act awarded Sabalenka a ball abuse warning from the umpire.

The lost set had been Sabalenka’s second in the 2026 US Open. Her only other dropped set in the tournament came at the hands of Linda Noskova in the second set of the quarterfinals.

The frustration later turned into a spirited second set.

Both sides took turns winning games before the reigning champion got her breakthrough on set point No. 3.

Sabalenka broke Rybakina’s serve with a backhand return down the line that was too powerful to return.

Just like that, it was 1-1 in the best-of-three match.

The two raised their shotmaking and provided timely winners with the title in reach.

Rybakina never wavered as she returned rockets sent at her by Sabalenka, who had the support of the Queens crowd throughout the match.

But then it began to unravel for the two-time Open winner — just like it has so many times throughout this year.

She held her racket over head as if she wanted to smash it on the green hardcourt after Rybakina went up 3-1 in the final set.

Then she crouched down after a double fault — then yelled again after another fault — that eventually led to Rybakina’s break point at 5-2.

It cleared the way for Rybakina to win the match on her own terms.

On her own racket. Just like a true No. 1 player on tour does.

The double fault on championship point No. 1 was a result of nerves in a big moment, Rybakina admitted.

“I don’t know. Of course, it was pressure. It was nerves,” she said. “It was difficult to keep the focus. I feel like in the first serve I actually wasn’t going that big, but then in the second, yeah, maybe I was just stopping the arm.

“I think it was coming pure out of emotions, and you know that on the other side is a great player, and she can go for her shots and that I actually need to win it myself.”

But the nerves quickly subsided as she served an ace on championship point No. 2.

Game. Set. Match. Elena Rybakina is No. 1 in the world — and US Open champion.