Rybakina Takes Sabalenka’s Crown and Leaves New York #1

Elena Rybakina arrived at the US Open chasing a breakthrough in New York and a chance to become world #1. She leaves with both. Rybakina beat two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 Saturday to win her first US Open title, complete a second hard-court major championship this season and end the reign of the woman who had increasingly made Arthur Ashe Stadium her own.

The final carried the weight of a rivalry that had already defined much of 2026. Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January, while Sabalenka answered with wins at Indian Wells and Miami. By the time they reached New York, Rybakina had already done enough to secure the #1 ranking for Monday. Saturday gave her the opportunity to take something even more tangible from Sabalenka: the trophy she had won in each of the previous two years.