Elena Rybakina’s remarkable rise to the summit of women’s tennis reached another defining moment in New York on Saturday, as she captured her first US Open title and completed a stunning double over Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina defeated the defending champion 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in a hard-fought final, ending Sabalenka’s bid for a third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows.
The victory capped a remarkable few weeks for Rybakina, who had already secured the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis. She will officially replace Sabalenka at the top of the rankings next week.
And in a fitting twist, Rybakina also claimed the trophy that Sabalenka had lifted in each of the previous two years.
For Rybakina, the US Open had long been a tournament where success proved difficult to find. But this time, New York became the stage for her coronation as the new leader of women’s tennis.
“It’s still so difficult to process what happened,” Rybakina said, reflecting on her extraordinary run. “Too many achievements these few weeks.”
The triumph is the third Grand Slam title of Rybakina’s career and her second major victory of the year.
Both of her Grand Slam successes this season have come at Sabalenka’s expense on hard courts, after she defeated the Belarusian for the Australian Open title earlier in the year.
Saturday’s victory also brought an end to Sabalenka’s impressive 19-match winning streak at the US Open.
The two-time defending champion had not lost at Flushing Meadows since her defeat by Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Rybakina’s reward extends beyond the trophy and ranking milestone. She takes home 5.5 million dollars — the largest prize awarded in Grand Slam history.
She also joins Sabalenka and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva as the only players with three tour titles this season.
SABALENKA’S TITLE DEFENCE ENDS IN DISAPPOINTMENT
For Sabalenka, the defeat was a painful end to a campaign in which she had hoped to create history.
She was chasing a third straight US Open crown — a feat last achieved by Serena Williams between 2012 and 2014.
But after surrendering the title, Sabalenka’s frustration was evident.
Following a brief embrace with Rybakina at the net, she smashed her racket before leaving the court.
The runner-up received 2.8 million dollars in prize money, but the financial reward offered little consolation after falling short of another historic achievement.
“I was just out there competing, trying to do my best with what I had there today,” Sabalenka said. “Not good enough.”
For Rybakina, however, the message from New York is unmistakable.
The former US Open struggle is now a distant memory, the world No. 1 ranking is hers, and the trophy that Sabalenka had dominated for two years now belongs to her.
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Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu
