In a dramatic showdown at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, Elena Rybakina captured her first U.S. Open championship, beating Aryna Sabalenka 6‑4, 5‑7, 6‑2. The victory not only adds a coveted Grand Slam trophy to Rybakina’s résumé but also cements her ascent to the top of the women’s rankings, a spot she will officially assume next week.
Match highlights
Rybakina opened the match with a solid first set, breaking Sabalenka’s serve early and holding on for a 6‑4 lead. Sabalenka rallied in the second set, using her powerful baseline game to edge Rybakina 7‑5 and force a decisive third set. Early in the final set, Rybakina briefly faltered, pulling a backhand wide on a break point, but she quickly regained composure, broke Sabalenka’s serve, and closed out the set 6‑2.
After the win, Rybakina admitted the moment felt surreal. “It’s tough to find words right now, honestly,” she said. “I don’t expect nothing like this coming to this tournament. I’ve been dealing with a little bit with an injury, but somehow everything aligned together on my side.”
Implications for the rankings
With the title, Rybakina had already secured the No. 1 ranking ahead of the official update next week, overtaking Sabalenka who had held the spot for several months. The shift marks a changing of the guard in women’s tennis, as the 27‑year‑old from Kazakhstan replaces the Belarusian as the sport’s top‑ranked player.
Sabalenka’s run
Sabalenka entered the final on a 19‑match winning streak at the U.S. Open, having not lost at the venue since her loss to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final. She was aiming to become the first player since Serena Williams (2012‑14) to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows. Though she fell short, Sabalenka praised the tournament’s atmosphere, saying, “I really felt like home here and cannot wait to come back next year. I wish I could perform a little bit better, but I guess next year.”
Historical context
This was the third U.S. Open women’s final since 2000 featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, and the first in which the No. 2 seed emerged victorious. In the previous two finals, top‑seeded Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus in 2002 and Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
Rybakina’s career milestones
Rybakina, born in Russia but competing for Kazakhstan, previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year, also defeating Sabalenka in that final. A win at the French Open would complete a career Grand Slam for the 27‑year‑old, a rare achievement in the sport.
Looking ahead
On the men’s side, American Ben Shelton will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
