Rybakina edges Sabalenka to secure first US Open title

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, who will officially become World No. 1 on Monday, defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the 2026 U.S. Open final.

The 2026 U.S. Open women’s singles tournament has come to an end. This final echoed the 2026 Australian Open final, with the same result.

Of their 18 matches, Rybakina and Sabalenka have played seven finals. In the opening set at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rybakina looked more confident, especially on return. Sabalenka struggled to counter the Kazakhstani’s backhand. Rybakina consistently neutralized Sabalenka’s powerful serve with her crosscourt shot. In turn, the Kazakhstani’s serve was difficult for her opponent to handle when it wasn’t an ace.

After breaking in the fifth game, Rybakina didn’t give her opponent a chance to break back. The Kazakhstani sealed the set in 44 minutes on her second set point, 6-4, echoing the score of the first set in Melbourne.

In the second set, the two leaders of women’s tennis continued to demonstrate high-level attacking play, with both having chances to take the set. Although both players had break points, neither managed to convert one for a long time. At a crucial moment in the 10th game, Rybakina saved two set points to level at 5-5. But she then lost two consecutive games. Sabalenka sealed the set 7-5 in 56 minutes on her third set point.

The 2026 Australian Open story repeated itself: 1-1 and a deciding set, continuing the thrilling match. In the third game, the Kazakhstani broke her opponent and then held serve to make it 3-1. She later secured another break in the seventh game to seal the 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory in 2 hours, 21 minutes, confirming her status as World No. 1 and claiming her first U.S. Open title.

The U.S. Open is an annual hard-court tournament and the last of the four Grand Slam events on the tennis calendar. The total prize pool for this year’s New York major is $108 million, the largest in Grand Slam history.