Aryna Sabalenka will bid for a third consecutive US Open crown on Saturday when she meets incoming World No. 1 Elena Rybakina in the women’s final on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
Headline: Sabalenka faces Rybakina for US Open hat-trick
SEO Title: Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina: US Open final preview
SEO Description: Aryna Sabalenka targets a third straight US Open title against Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s hard-court final in New York.
The match
Sabalenka arrives in her fourth straight US Open final with the chance to extend her New York winning streak to 20 matches. Her team believes the fast hard-court conditions suit both her power game and her ability to vary plans during a match.
Anton Dubrov, Sabalenka’s full-time coach since 2020, said the Belarusian has developed a clearer understanding of her options on hard courts. “She knows much better what she can use in these conditions, whether it is Plan A, B or C, and she adapts more easily,” he said.
Jason Stacy, her high-performance coach, described the two-time defending champion’s approach in emphatic terms. “This is her home and everybody else is visiting,” he said. “Her task is to set the tempo, follow her own strategy and not be pulled into the opponent’s game.”
Sabalenka’s route to the final included a 7-5, 6-2 semifinal victory over Jessica Pegula, a performance Pegula rated among the Belarusian’s finest of the season. Sabalenka had earlier survived a three-set quarterfinal against Linda Noskova, winning the deciding match tiebreak, but has otherwise moved through the draw in commanding fashion after an uneven summer buildup.
Stacy said her composure has been particularly striking during the fortnight. “When she has needed to do it, she has reset herself, returned to the next point and played with complete purpose,” he said.
Dubrov also pointed to Sabalenka’s greater separation between her results and her life away from tennis. He said she now handles the demands around the tour more effectively and no longer treats a difficult spell on court as a reflection of everything beyond it.
Saturday’s final will be the 18th WTA meeting between Sabalenka and Rybakina. Sabalenka holds a 10-7 advantage, while their record in major finals stands at one win each: Sabalenka prevailed at the 2023 Australian Open and Rybakina took the 2026 Australian Open title.
Max Mirnyi, Sabalenka’s tactical consultant, said there is limited scope for major intervention when two players of such sustained quality meet for another championship match. “They have been the leading players in women’s tennis over the last few years,” Mirnyi said. “Their titles, rankings and results show that. They tend to bring out a higher level in each other.”
Mirnyi added that Sabalenka has built momentum as the tournament has progressed. “She has improved round by round, and New York clearly suits her,” he said.
The next round
Sabalenka will play Rybakina in the US Open final on Saturday, with a third straight New York title on the line for the defending champion.
