Elena Rybakina Captures First US Open Title by Toppling Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina walked into New York chasing a breakthrough. She walked out a US Open champion.

On Saturday, September 12, 2026, the Kazakh star dethroned top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a bruising three‑set final, winning 6:4, 5:7, 6:2 to claim her first title at Flushing Meadows.

Final Score: Rybakina 6:4, 5:7, 6:2 Sabalenka

Rybakina strikes first

From the opening games, Rybakina’s intent was clear. She took the ball early, attacked on return and refused to be bullied by Sabalenka’s power.

The pressure told in the first set. Rybakina earned the crucial break and guarded it with authority, serving out the opener 6:4. The defending champion, usually the one dictating from the baseline, suddenly found herself reacting, not commanding.

Sabalenka’s forehand misfired at key moments, while Rybakina’s first serve gave her just enough free points to keep the Belarusian at arm’s length. One set down, the top seed needed a response.

Sabalenka hits back

She found it.

The second set turned into a dogfight. Sabalenka dug in, extended rallies and began to land the heavy blows that have defined her rise to the top of the women’s game. Games stretched, tension rose, and the match started to resemble the kind of physical, emotional battle both players are known for.

Rybakina stayed with her, but this time Sabalenka refused to blink. Pushing hard at the end of the set, the Belarusian broke through and snatched it 7:5, levelling the match and dragging the final into a deciding set.

The champion had her foothold. The crowd sensed a momentum shift. Rybakina had a choice: retreat or raise the level again.

Decider belongs to Rybakina

She chose the latter.

The third set belonged to Rybakina from the start. She tightened her game, cut out the loose errors and went after Sabalenka’s second serve. The top seed, having expended so much energy to claw back the second set, suddenly looked vulnerable.

Rybakina pounced. She raced through the decider 6:2, breaking Sabalenka’s resistance and, with it, her hold on the US Open trophy. Two games were all Sabalenka could muster in that final set as Rybakina surged clear.

When the last point ended, the equation was simple: two sets to one, 6:4, 5:7, 6:2. A first US Open title for Elena Rybakina, and the scalp of the reigning champion and world’s top seed to seal it.

In New York, on one of the sport’s biggest stages, Rybakina did more than win a match. She tore down the gate that had stood between her and a US Open crown. The question now is how many more of these nights she has in her.