U.S. Open 2026 Women’s Final: Elena Rybakina Defeats Aryna Sabalenka, Secures Place As World No. 1

Rybakina, who took over the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis just days ago, secured her place atop the sport with her defeat of Sabalenka.

Elena Rybakina beat rival Aryna Sabalenka to secure her third Grand Slam title at the 2026 U.S. Open. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Four days ago, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan secured the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis for the first time in her career. Today, on Arthur Ashe Stadium, she consecrated the achievement by winning the 2026 U.S. Open Women’s singles title. She defeated her rival and the former No.1, Aryna Sabalenka, 6–4, 5–7, 6–2, in a spellbinding match.  Now, it is official. Rybakina is not only the season MVP, but, after winning her second major of 2026, she is the sport’s new queen. 

Adding a level of irony tow this fortnight of success, two weeks ago, it was unclear Rybakina would even play in this event. In Cincinnati last month, she suffered what looked to be an Achilles injury on her lower leg. During the week before the U.S. Open, she practiced sparingly and in private.  

Not only were rumors of her absence unfounded, they were completely undermined by Rybakina’s play. She did not drop a set the first week. The second week, betraying little emotion—the iciest player on this side of Björn Borg, perhaps?—she won a trifecta of three-setters. And while she relied on her power, as always, including twelve aces today (the final one, a punctuation mark on match point), she also brought to bear some of the most graceful athleticism you’ll see on a tennis court. 

Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka earlier this year in the Australian Open final, and now has her first U.S. Open title. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Some players are emotive and expressive, happy to scream “look at me” with their outfits, antics and social media posts. Rybakina is the antithesis of that. For reasons only she might articulate—and she doesn’t—she is almost strenuously opaque. Perhaps because she gives away so little, she remains a cipher even to committed tennis fans. But there is something to be said for equanimity. Through the inevitable dips and peaks of matches, Rybakina’s disposition goes virtually unchanged. After losing to Rybakina in the semifinals, Coco Gauff spoke admirably of her opponent’s stony bearing. 

Today, she didn’t play her best tennis in the first set, but prevailed 6–4. Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, began finding her range and won the second set 7–5. In a match that had echoes of their Australian Open final barely seven months ago, Rybakina saved her best for last and happily let her opponent implode. 

A word about Sabalenka: after 99 weeks her run at the top of the sport has been interrupted. While her run of nearly two years ought to be commended, it is hard to ignore that a player so powerful has now lost more major finals than she has won. She finishes 2026 with zero majors and her racquet smash on match point suggests she realizes the opportunity that went unfulfilled—both today and this year. 

Sabalenka may well be back, but she will have to re-summit the mountain and, to mix metaphors, depose a new autocrat. This one is 27. Has no discernible weakness. Has poise to burn. And, at a time of absurd quality across the board, is best in class. Godspeed, Elena Rybakina, 2026 U.S. Open Champion.