Elena Rybakina claimed her first U.S. Open title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on September 12, 2026, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The victory earned Rybakina $5.5 million and secured her ascension to the world No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis.
Women’s tennis has a new world No. 1 at the pinnacle of the sport in New York. Elena Rybakina secured the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka during the tournament with a quarterfinal win over China’s Zheng Qinwen, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Three days later, Rybakina faced Sabalenka on Arthur Ashe Stadium in the final to wrestle away the tournament trophy.
Born in Moscow but representing Kazakhstan, the 27-year-old became her country’s first player to reach the top of the rankings. Her path to the summit included winning the Australian Open earlier in the season by defeating Sabalenka, followed by a clay-court title at the Stuttgart Tennis Grand Prix in April.
Coronation on Arthur Ashe Stadium
The championship match delivered a hard-fought three-set battle as Rybakina bested the defending champion 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. The victory snapped Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at the U.S. Open, where she had not lost since falling to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Elena Rybakina stated via CBS News that honestly, it was tough to find words right now, adding that she did not expect anything like that coming to the tournament, that she had been dealing a little bit with an injury, but somehow everything aligned together on her side.
Rybakina earned $5.5 million in prize money, marking the largest payout in Grand Slam history. The triumph also tied her with Sabalenka and French Open winner Mirra Andreeva for a tour-high three titles on the season.
Sabalenka collected $2.8 million as the runner-up. The defeat halted her bid to become the first person to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams accomplished the feat from 2012 to 2014.
Shifting Rankings and Familiar Rivalries
The match marked just the third time since 2000 that the world’s top two players met in a U.S. Open women’s final. Unlike the previous two instances—where top-seeded Williams defeated Venus Williams in 2002 and Victoria Azarenka in 2013—this encounter went the way of the challenger.
Sabalenka held the world No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks before Rybakina gained enough points by reaching the semifinals to unseat her. Their head-to-head rivalry now stands at 10-8 in favor of Sabalenka, who won their other two meetings earlier in the season on hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami.
Aryna Sabalenka remarked via CBS News that her opponent’s serve was amazing, noting the way she was able to step in and overpower you on court, and especially if it was a U.S. Open court where it was super fast, it was definitely a huge advantage for her, concluding that a lot of things made her dangerous.
Frustration and Pressure on the Court
After double-faulting to hand Rybakina a 3-2 lead, Sabalenka whacked the ball into the crowd after Rybakina hit it back, drawing a warning from the chair umpire.
Sabalenka mounted a challenge in the second set, capitalizing on break points to seize control and level the match. But Rybakina regrouped in the decider, overcoming brief frustration in the opening game to take charge of the match for good.
Aryna Sabalenka stated via CBS News that she was just out there competing, trying to do her best with what she had there that day, adding that it was not good enough.
Looking Ahead to the WTA Finals
With her victory in New York, Rybakina became the first singles player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals. The tournament will feature the top eight singles players and doubles teams.
The event is scheduled to take place from November 8 to 15 in Indian Wells. Rybakina previously triumphed at the tournament in 2023 and reached the final earlier this year before falling to Sabalenka.
Elena Rybakina acknowledged via SportoweFakty that she actually hadn’t even realized she had qualified, calling it an amazing feeling and noting that the prospect of becoming number one had initially been associated with tremendous stress, while now, having won the title there, it was hard to believe.
As Rybakina adjusts to her new status atop the rankings, the tour looks toward the final stretch of the season. Whether she can maintain her hold on the top spot against a motivated field remains the central question for the remainder of the tennis calendar.