Rybakina denies Sabalenka 3rd straight US Open title

Elena Rybakina defeated defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday to win the US Open women's singles title and claim her third Grand Slam crown.

Kazakh, 27, who also won the Australian Open earlier this year, denied Sabalenka a third consecutive US Open title with a composed performance in the deciding set at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rybakina took the opening set 6-4 before Sabalenka fought back to tie the match by winning the second 7-5.

The Kazakh regained control in the third set, breaking Sabalenka twice and closing out a 6-2 victory to secure her first US Open title.

Rybakina had already secured the world No. 1 ranking before the final and will officially take the top spot when the rankings are updated Monday, replacing Sabalenka at the summit.

The victory gives Rybakina two Grand Slam titles in 2026, after she defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January.

It was the third Grand Slam final between the two players. Sabalenka won their first major final at the 2023 Australian Open, while Rybakina won both of their Grand Slam finals in 2026.

Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed and two-time defending champion, entered the final seeking to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles. Williams won three straight in New York from 2012 through 2014.

The victory also saw Rybakina complete a sweep of the year's two hard-court Grand Slam titles.