Elena Rybakina defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the 2026 US Open women’s singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, securing her first US Open title and third Grand Slam championship. The victory also put Rybakina on course to become the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach the top of the WTA rankings.
Rybakina made a strong start by breaking Sabalenka once to take the opening set 6-4. Sabalenka responded in the second after Rybakina missed two set points, breaking back and taking the set 7-5 to force a deciding set. Rybakina then regained control, breaking Sabalenka twice in the final set before closing out the match 6-2 and completing a three-set victory.
The title adds to Rybakina’s Grand Slam successes at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2026. Her Australian Open triumph also came against Sabalenka, making the latest victory another major final win over the Belarusian. Rybakina entered the US Open as the No. 2 seed and reached the final after defeating Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, while Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
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The defeat ended Sabalenka’s attempt to win the US Open for a third consecutive year. She had lifted the trophy in 2024 and 2025 and was seeking to become the first woman since Serena Williams’ 2012-2014 run to claim three straight US Open singles titles. Rybakina, meanwhile, said it would be surreal to wake up knowing she had won the tournament and achieved the world No. 1 ranking.
Rybakina’s run was particularly notable given concerns surrounding an Achilles and ankle injury before and during the tournament. She nevertheless progressed through the draw and became the champion after overcoming Sabalenka in the final. The tournament also marked the first time since 1975 that all four top women’s seeds reached the semifinals, with the top two ultimately meeting for the championship.
Rybakina is set to receive $5.5 million for winning the US Open, according to the prize-money figures announced by the WTA ahead of the final. Sabalenka, who finished runner-up, received $2.8 million. The 2026 championship therefore marked a major milestone for Rybakina, combining her first US Open crown with a third Grand Slam title and an expected rise to the summit of women’s tennis.
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