Elena Rybakina Wins First US Open Title in New York

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

On Saturday, September 12, 2026, the Kazakh star claimed her first title at Flushing Meadows, outlasting top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a bruising three-set final, 6–4, 5–7, 6–2.

It was a meeting of heavyweights. Sabalenka, the dominant force on hard courts in recent seasons, arrived as the clear favorite and the reigning winner of the tournament. Rybakina, long tipped for this stage, brought her own brand of controlled aggression and a serve that can take the air out of any arena.

From the start, Rybakina set the tone. She took the opening set 6–4, striking cleanly, taking the ball early, and refusing to be bullied from the baseline. Sabalenka still landed her blows, but the Kazakh’s precision and composure gave her the edge in the key moments.

The champion responded. In the second set, Sabalenka tightened her game, dug in on return, and forced Rybakina into longer, more physical rallies. The tension rose with every service game. At 5–5, Sabalenka finally broke through, seizing the narrow window she needed and driving the match into a decider by taking the set 7–5.

One set each. A major title on the line. Exactly the kind of stage both players relish.

The third set, though, belonged to Rybakina.

She surged ahead 6–2, breaking Sabalenka’s resistance with a mix of measured power and calm decision-making. While the Belarusian managed two games in the decider, the weight of Rybakina’s serve and her ability to reset after losing the second set proved decisive. Each hold felt like a statement; each break, a step closer to history.

When the final point was done, the numbers told a simple story: 6–4, 5–7, 6–2. Two sets to one. A first US Open title for Elena Rybakina, earned the hard way against the top seed and defending champion.

Sabalenka leaves as the beaten finalist, but still very much a force at the top of the women’s game. Rybakina leaves as something more: a US Open winner, a major champion again, and a player whose ceiling just shifted a little higher.