Elena Rybakina Wins 2026 US Open Title, Defeats Aryna Sabalenka in the Final

Elena Rybakina has ended her long wait at the US Open by lifting the championship trophy for the very first time. The Kazakhstani tennis player defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a fiercely contested final match at the 2026 US Open.

Competing at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday morning, 13 September 2026 WIB, Rybakina was forced to battle through three full sets before sealing a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory.

The 27-year-old closed out the match with an ace that simultaneously secured the first US Open title of her entire professional career.

This win over Sabalenka carries additional significance, as Rybakina will also claim the world number one ranking. She is confirmed to displace Sabalenka from the top of the WTA rankings after advancing to the 2026 US Open semi-finals.

This New York title marks Rybakina's third career Grand Slam trophy. Prior to this victory, she had already won Wimbledon and the 2026 Australian Open.

By winning both the Australian Open and US Open in the same calendar year, Rybakina becomes only the third women's tennis player of the 21st century to claim two hard-court Grand Slam titles in a single season.

This achievement feels all the more remarkable given that Rybakina's 2026 US Open campaign was disrupted by an ankle injury in the lead-up to the tournament.

"It's hard to find the right words right now. I never expected this when I started the tournament," stated Rybakina, who had been managing the ankle injury prior to the event, as reported by Reuters.

The final match was tightly contested from the very first point. Rybakina took the opening set 6-4, but Sabalenka demonstrated her champion mentality to fight back in the second set.

The Belarusian player forced a deciding final set after claiming the second set by a score of 7-5.

Rybakina then raised her aggression levels for the third set. She took control of the rallies, pulled clear of Sabalenka, and eventually closed out the final set 6-2 to secure the title.

"I had to push through this injury. Somehow everything fell my way. Aryna... it is so difficult to compete against you. You push me to my absolute limits."

This victory also serves as vindication for Rybakina, who had never previously reached the final summit at the US Open. She noted that she now feels an ever stronger connection with the New York tournament.

"I want to thank the crowd for this incredible atmosphere. I have been coming here for 10 years now and never found success before. I keep falling more and more in love with New York," she said.

Rybakina's 2026 US Open triumph further cements her status as one of the dominant forces in women's professional tennis.

Alongside taking home the Grand Slam trophy, Rybakina now prepares to enter the next chapter of her career as the official world number one women's tennis player.