Elena Rybakina ended Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open title defence with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory in Saturday’s championship match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, taking the trophy and ensuring she will rise to World No. 1 when the new rankings are released on Monday.
Rybakina claims US Open crown and No. 1 ranking
On the hard courts in New York, Rybakina delivered a composed performance over two hours and 21 minutes to stop Sabalenka’s attempt to win a third consecutive US Open. Serena Williams, who won from 2012 through 2014, remains the most recent woman to complete that three-title streak in the Open Era.
The Kazakh struck 12 aces, produced 36 winners and kept her unforced-error count to 24. Her aggressive serving and first-strike tennis repeatedly denied Sabalenka opportunities to establish control.
Sabalenka generated only three break points across the final, each arriving during her recovery in the second set. She converted the pressure into a 7-5 set to level the contest, but Rybakina took command again in the decider and closed out the title 6-2.
The top seed showed her frustration during the match, sending one ball out of the stadium early in the opening set and repeatedly striking her racquet against the court. She finished the final with more unforced errors than winners.
“My level was not where I wanted it to be, but Elena served exceptionally well,” Sabalenka said. “She played forceful, high-quality tennis and was the better player today. I was competing with what I had and trying to make the best of it.”
Sabalenka’s reign at the top ends
Sabalenka had already known that the No. 1 position would change hands after the tournament, regardless of the final’s outcome. Her upcoming drop ends a run of 99 straight weeks at the summit, the sixth-longest such streak in the Open Era. She has spent 107 weeks in total as World No. 1.
Despite the setback, the Belarusian said her ranking will not alter her approach for the rest of the season and beyond.
“There is always pressure when you go on court; it does not matter whether you are ranked first, second, third or fourth,” she said. “I will continue working, continue raising my level and hopefully win more titles.”
Sabalenka added that difficult defeats have previously helped her improve. “There are many lessons to take from this tournament. My experience tells me I return stronger, and what happened this season will give me motivation to do a better job next year.”
A growing title-match edge for Rybakina
Sabalenka still leads the overall head-to-head series 10-8, but Rybakina has built a significant advantage when trophies are at stake. The US Open final moved the Kazakh to a 5-2 record against Sabalenka in title matches.
When told that her 99-week consecutive stay at No. 1 remained something Rybakina had yet to match, Sabalenka joked that the new champion would have to chase that mark too. She then offered a warning of her own: if Rybakina maintains this standard, “I’m in trouble.”
SEO Title: Elena Rybakina beats Aryna Sabalenka to win US Open and take World No. 1
SEO Description: Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, securing the title and the World No. 1 ranking.
