Elena Rybakina won her first US Open title on Saturday defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the women’s singles final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan completed the victory in two hours and 21 minutes, adding the US Open crown to the Australian Open title she won earlier this year and her 2022 Wimbledon Championships. It was the third Grand Slam singles title of her career.
Rybakina had already secured the world No. 1 ranking during her run in New York, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week spell at the top. She will officially appear at No. 1 when the updated WTA rankings are released.
Rybakina broke Sabalenka for a 3-2 lead in the opening set and held the advantage to take it 6-4. Sabalenka responded in the second, breaking Rybakina late to take the set 7-5 and force a decider.
Rybakina regained control in the third set. She broke for 2-1 and again for 5-2 before closing out the championship with her 12th ace of the match.
“It’s tough to find the words right now,” Rybakina said during the trophy presentation, describing the victory as an unexpected achievement after arriving in New York with injury concerns.
Sabalenka displayed visible frustration at several stages of the match. She hit a ball into the stands and received a warning, shouted at herself and struck a racket against the court. After the match, she broke another racket.
Sabalenka’s frustration was evident following the defeat. In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka said she had wanted to release the aggression and disappointment associated with losing a Grand Slam final and missing the opportunity to win a third consecutive US Open title.
Sabalenka had entered the final seeking to become the first woman since Serena Williams, from 2012 to 2014, to win three consecutive US Open singles titles. Her defeat ended a 19-match winning streak at the Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina’s victory also made her the third woman since 2000 to win the Australian Open and US Open in the same season, following Angelique Kerber in 2016 and Sabalenka in 2024.
Watch the highlights from the match below.