Elena Rybakina clinched her inaugural U.S. Open championship, solidifying her rise to the pinnacle of women’s tennis by defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in New York on Saturday. Rybakina was already set to claim the No. 1 ranking from Sabalenka next week, and she sealed the deal by snatching the U.S. Open title that Sabalenka had held for the past two years.
This marked Rybakina’s third Grand Slam victory and her second triumph this year, both achieved against Sabalenka on hard courts. Commencing the season with an Australian Open win over Sabalenka, Rybakina halted Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at the U.S. Open, where Sabalenka had not suffered defeat since her loss to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Earning a record-breaking $5.5 million US prize money, Rybakina equaled Sabalenka and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva with a tour-best three titles this season. Despite taking home $2.8 million, Sabalenka displayed her disappointment by smashing her racket after a brief post-match exchange with Rybakina.
Sabalenka aimed to emulate Serena Williams’ feat from 2012-2014 by clinching a third consecutive victory at Flushing Meadows. Rybakina, despite an off day with her serves, applied relentless pressure on Sabalenka through a strong return game, amassing 12 break chances and converting three crucial ones to secure the win.