Rybakina Wins US Open for Third Grand Slam Title

Elena Rybakina won the 2026 US Open singles title on Saturday. She beat two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. It was her third Grand Slam crown.

Rybakina ends Sabalenka's three-peat bid

Rybakina took the first set with clean, flat hitting. She set the pace and kept Sabalenka on the back foot. The lead was hers.

Sabalenka fought back in the second set. She saved two set points, then broke through to win it 7-5. Her anger showed, and she smashed two racquets.

Rybakina stayed calm. She broke early in the third set and did not let go. She closed it out 6-2 after 2 hours and 21 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

A No.1 debut and a record payday

The win ended Sabalenka's 19-match run at the US Open. It was her first loss there since the 2023 final. Days earlier, Rybakina had reached No.1 for the first time, the first player from Kazakhstan to top the sport.

Her prize was $5.5 million, the largest in Grand Slam history. She became the third woman this century to win the Australian Open and US Open in one year. The others are Angelique Kerber and Sabalenka.

The title also gave her three trophies for 2026, level with Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva. Her record against Sabalenka now stands at 8-10. But she has won their last three big matches, including the Australian Open final in January.

"It's tough to find words right now," Rybakina told the crowd. "I've been dealing with an injury but somehow everything aligned together on my side." She called Sabalenka a great champion who is hard to face.

The win completes a hardcourt sweep for the year. Rybakina began 2026 with a major and now ends it as No.1. She is no longer just a threat, but the standard.