In a high-stakes clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to secure the US Open championship. This victory marks Rybakina’s third Grand Slam title and cements her position as the new world No. 1. The result brings an end to Sabalenka’s aspirations of securing a third consecutive US Open title, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams between 2012 and 2014.
Sabalenka, who had held the top ranking for 99 consecutive weeks entering the event, saw her standing shift after Rybakina’s quarterfinal win against Qinwen Zheng. Regardless of the outcome in the final, Rybakina had already secured the top spot. The match served as their 15th encounter on hard courts, with Rybakina now holding a narrow 8-7 head-to-head advantage in such matchups. This final served as a rematch of the January Australian Open, which Rybakina also won, though Sabalenka had previously defeated her in the Indian Wells final and the Miami semifinals.
The match was defined by persistent errors from Sabalenka, who committed 35 unforced errors throughout the contest, including 14 in the opening set. Despite Rybakina landing only 27% of her first serves during that first set, she effectively exploited Sabalenka’s miscues. Tensions were visible throughout the match, with Sabalenka frequently displaying frustration by gesturing to her coaching box, talking to herself, dropping her racket, and at one point hitting a ball into the stands after a double-fault.
The second set proved to be a defensive battle, with neither player conceding a service break through the first 11 games. Sabalenka had two opportunities to close out the set in the 10th game but committed four consecutive errors, allowing the match to continue. She eventually secured the break needed to force a decisive third set, but her momentum stalled thereafter. Rybakina capitalized on this by jumping to a 4-1 lead in the final frame and ultimately closing out the match with an ace after Sabalenka failed to return the ball.
As the tournament winner, the 27-year-old Rybakina, who was born in Russia and represents Kazakhstan, earned $5.5 million in prize money. Sabalenka, visibly disappointed as she smashed her racket following the final point, received $2.8 million for her runner-up finish. The report also notes that and the first since Serena Williams in 2012-2014, to win three or more consecutive US Open titles, but was plagued by a flurry of unforced errors, commi, sabalenka was attempting to become the third woman in the Open Era. The report also notes that with Rybakina now taking an 8-7 lead in those meetings, this was their 15th time playing on a hard court.
