Elena Rybakina clinched her maiden US Open title on 13 September 2026, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York. The victory handed Rybakina her third Grand Slam title and propelled her to the top of the WTA rankings, ending Sabalenka's remarkable 99-week hold on the No. 1 position.

A Historic Grand Slam Double

Rybakina's triumph in New York completed a stunning double, having also beaten Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier in 2026. In doing so, she became only the third player since 2000 to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same calendar year, joining Angelique Kerber (2016) and Sabalenka herself (2024) in that exclusive club. It was her third title of the 2026 season and 14th career title overall. With a French Open title the lone missing piece, Rybakina is now one Major away from a career Grand Slam.

What Rybakina Said After Lifting the Trophy

'I would put this moment right at the top. So many things have happened in the past couple of weeks. Becoming the number one ranked player and now lifting this US Open trophy,' Rybakina said. She added that the US Open had historically been an elusive tournament for her: 'I have been coming to this tournament for so many years, and it was never a successful Grand Slam for me. Now things have changed, and it is just amazing. This one means a lot to me.'

Injury Scare Before the Tournament

Rybakina's achievement carries additional weight given the physical ordeal she endured in the lead-up to the event. A foot injury prevented her from practising for seven days before the US Open began, forcing her to spend nearly three hours daily in the gym on recovery exercises while watching rivals prepare on court. 'It has been very difficult. I could not practise, and I had to watch everyone else hitting and preparing for the tournament while I was sidelined,' she said. She credited her support team for keeping her mentally focused through the challenging period.

Finding Solutions Match by Match

Rybakina admitted uncertainty about her fitness through the opening rounds, with multiple tactical and physical adjustments made throughout the fortnight. 'In the first few matches, I wasn't sure how my foot would hold up or how I would feel on court. We made a lot of adjustments as well, so I wasn't feeling comfortable at the start,' she said. 'But somehow, each day, I found a way to get through. We found a way as a team. I'm super proud of that.' The Kazakh star's resilience was underscored by her improved head-to-head record against Sabalenka, now standing at 8-10, with her last three wins in the rivalry coming at the WTA Finals last year, the Australian Open final, and now the US Open final.

What This Means for Women's Tennis

Rybakina's ascent to No. 1 reshapes the landscape at the top of women's tennis. Sabalenka's 99-week reign at the summit — one of the longest sustained runs in recent WTA history — has been broken by a player who has now beaten her in three consecutive Grand Slam-level finals. With the French Open the only Major missing from her collection, the 2027 clay season will inevitably be viewed through the prism of whether Rybakina can complete a career Grand Slam. Her combination of resilience, consistency against the top seed, and the ability to perform at peak level while managing physical adversity marks her as the defining force in women's tennis heading into the off-season.