Dethroning the queen, Asia's No.1 tennis player wins the US Open crown.

(US Open 2026 tennis results) - Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the women's singles final, thus winning her first title in New York and officially rising to world No.1.

Elena Rybakina closed a memorable journey at the US Open with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Aryna Sabalenka at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

This title gives the Kazakh player her third Grand Slam in her career, after Wimbledon 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year. More importantly, Rybakina will surpass Sabalenka to top the WTA rankings from next week, ending the Belarusian opponent's 99 consecutive weeks at No.1.

Sabalenka entered the final as the two-time defending champion. She aimed for a third consecutive US Open title, a feat in the Open Era only achieved by Serena Williams and Chris Evert.

But Rybakina did not give Sabalenka the opportunity to impose her familiar game plan. In the first set, the Kazakh player landed only 8 of 30 first serves, equivalent to 27%. However, Sabalenka failed to exploit this rare weakness. Rybakina still won up to 68% of her second serve points, enough to hold her serve under great pressure.

Unlike many opponents who often hit the ball to the sidelines to make Sabalenka move, Rybakina chose to hit deep into the middle of the court. This playing style limited the angles, forcing Sabalenka to retreat behind the baseline and giving her few opportunities to unleash her close-range forehands, which are her strength.

Sabalenka was broken in the fifth game of the first set after a double fault. Her frustration quickly showed as she hit the ball into the stands and received a warning from the umpire.

Sabalenka was broken in the fifth game of the first set after a double fault. Her frustration quickly showed as she hit the ball into the stands and received a warning from the umpire. Rybakina then successfully protected her advantage, despite having to constantly play with her second serve, to win the opening set 6-4.

Nevertheless, Sabalenka did not give up. In the second set, she adjusted her return position, dropping deeper to have time to hit powerful shots against Rybakina's second serve. The Belarusian also added drop shots and changes of direction to disrupt her opponent's rhythm.

The effect was evident at the end of the set. Sabalenka won 60% of Rybakina's second serve return points, a sharp increase from the 32% rate in the first set. She took the second set 7-5, forcing a deciding set amid strong support from the New York crowd.

However, the decisive moment belonged to Rybakina. The 27-year-old quickly built a lead in the third set, going up 5-2 before closing out the match with a solid service game. While Sabalenka repeatedly blamed herself and smashed her racket after the match, Rybakina maintained her usual calm demeanor.

“It's hard to describe my feelings right now. I didn't think I could go this far when I arrived at the tournament.”, Rybakina said after receiving the trophy from Maria Sharapova.

The championship is even more remarkable because Rybakina almost missed the US Open. An ankle injury forced her to withdraw from Cincinnati, and then she underwent several days of treatment and medical checks upon arriving in New York. She only began to regain her confidence round by round, before overcoming Naomi Osaka in the fourth round and Coco Gauff in the semifinals.

With both the Australian Open and US Open titles in the same year, Rybakina becomes the third player in the 21st century to achieve this, after Angelique Kerber and Sabalenka. Meanwhile, the loss means Sabalenka ends the 2026 Grand Slam season without a title. Her 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows also comes to an end, and her dream of winning three consecutive US Open titles will have to wait at least another season.

“I'm disappointed, but I have to congratulate Elena. I wish I could have played better, but hopefully next year will be different.”, Sabalenka shared.