Elena Rybakina wins US Open, denies Sabalenka three‑peat

sportsSep 12, 202644649

Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the 2026 US Open, denying Sabalenka a third straight New York title. Rybakina, who already became world number one earlier in the tournament, claimed her first US Open and third Grand Slam overall and earned $5.5 million. Sabalenka committed 35 unforced errors, including 14 in the first set, showed visible frustration throughout the match and smashed her racket after the loss; she earned $2.8 million as runner-up. The final echoed January’s Australian Open rematch, which Rybakina also won, and after this victory Rybakina leads 8-7 over Sabalenka on hard courts. Rybakina said she had been managing a minor injury but that “somehow everything aligned” for her in New York. Sabalenka had held the top ranking for 99 consecutive weeks; Rybakina’s quarterfinal win over Qinwen Zheng had already vaulted her to number one and the US Open result cements that change at the top. Rybakina sprinted to a 4-1 lead in the third set and closed out the match when Sabalenka failed to handle a return on match point.

CJ Fogler

@cjzero.bsky.social

Elena Rybakina double faulted on the first match point but follows it with an ace to win the #USOpen

1164h ago

Rumpole of the Bayou1

I could do the first part of that

Morabeets 🍉 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈🌏♀️1

Such grace by the loser.

Quoting this

Micah38

elenaaaaaaa let’s go, we even got two hands in the air in celebration world number one and a us open title to go with it

Richard Deitsch22

Man, she's had a year.

Along Came Poly-4-The-W3

got her ass. 👏 congrats Elena!

Matthew Terrill3

Glad she won — she’s tremendous. And also: god, Sabalenka is one of ghe world’s least gracious losers, and I’ve been sick of her tantrums for years. Ridiculous to behave that way at the end when the moment should’ve fully belonged to Rybakina

新魂電3

will always root against sabalenka, so this is good

The Tennis Letter

@thetennisletter.bsky.social

Rybakina d. Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 5-7 6-2 at the U.S. Open ELENA IS A US OPEN CHAMPION. This is her 3rd Grand Slam title. Her 2nd Grand Slam title of 2026. She’s now won 3 of the 4 Slams… the only one she’s missing to complete the Career Grand Slam is Roland Garros... 🇰🇿🩵🇰🇿

654h ago

The New York Times

@nytimes.com

Breaking News from @theathletic.com: Elena Rybakina dethroned the two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win her first U.S. Open title, and her third Grand Slam title overall.

723h ago

Tick Tock Tennis

@ticktocktennis.bsky.social

Rybakina Reigns! Wimbledon ✅️ Australian Open ✅️ World #1 ✅️ US Open ✅️ Elena Rybakina defeats 2-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, to capture her 3rd grand slam title. With the win, the 27yo ascends to the top of the world rankings on Monday.

454h ago

Tennis Updates

@tennisupdates.bsky.social

Its Elena Rybakina to declare herself the best player in the world in New York. Wins 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 vs Aryna Sabalenka to win the US Open. • 3rd Grand Slam Title • Roland Garros Short of Career Slam • Becomea 30th WTA World #1 • First Since 2016 Kerber to win AO and USO • Now 8-10 vs Sabalenka

444h ago

neveratrueword.bsky.social1

Rybakina seems like she came out of nowhere, but I guess she’s been around for a while. With those dark eyes she looks like a deer in the headlights, but she can sure play

Tom Firth 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿1

Incredible player and such an amazing feat to follow up achieving world no 1 with a third grand slam!

Don Moynihan

@donmoyn.bsky.social

Rybakina about to serve for the US Open if you are near a TV

294h ago

Disco Sue1

Very graceless attitude from Sabalenka

Langdon Grant1

Sabalenka with the post-match racket smash.

Meghan O'Keefe

@megsokay.bsky.social

Elena Rybakina played that final like a world #1: calm, confident, and with laser precision when it mattered. Aryna Sabalenka gave a great impression of an aspiring actress rehearsing a dramatic breakdown in a '70s method acting class. Both were entertaining to watch, but one was giving tennis. 🎾

244h ago

TSN

@tsnofficial.bsky.social

ELENA RYBAKINA IS A US OPEN CHAMPION!🏆 She dethrones two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to capture her first title in New York! 🔥🙌 #USOpen

234h ago

Merlisa

@merlisa.com

Elena Rybakina is your 2026 US Open Champion. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Rybakina, the new No. 1, won her third Major and first U.S. Open title. She is a French Open win away from a career Grand Slam.

204h ago

OptaAce

@optaace.optajoe.com

2 - Since the WTA rankings were first published in 1975, Elena Rybakina is just the second player to defeat the World No. 1 in multiple Grand Slam finals in a season, after Steffi Graf (Roland Garros and US Open) in 1995. Coronation. #USOpen | @wtatour.bsky.social

154h ago

Autistic Tennis Fan 🎾 🏳️‍🌈

@autistictennisfan.bsky.social

That was a tough as nails performance from Elena Rybakina Practically flawless from beginning to end That little smile playing on her face when she was double faulting with nerves at the end took me out 😆❤️ The best woman won tonight. Oh and fuck Jake Paul #USOpen

224h ago

mark1t.bsky.social2

Rybakina took 2 slams this year. She’s definitely the best player right now. Number 1 player.

empressoxb.bsky.social1

Winning the first set with her first serve was crazy impressive

AZ BLUE GAY!1

Nothing like the new #1 taking out the former #1. It was fantastic. I am not a Sabalinka fan. However, it was a great match!!

Country Universe

@countryuniverse.net

Sabalenka, just like Djokovic at his peak, believes that her #1 ranking entitles her to being beloved by the crowds / tennis fandom at large, and she cannot connect her own behavior to why that isn't actually true. *Jake Paul* was in her friends & family box for the #USOpen final.

154h ago

Quoting this

inthefade6

yeah, she's just a shitty person

Mark Taylor

@emarktaylor.bsky.social

🎾 #Tennis #USOpen #USOpen2026 Elena Rybakina defeats Aryna Sabalenka in 3 Sets to win the US Open.

144h ago

Ground Pass Podcast - A Tennis Podcast

@groundpass.bsky.social

Elena Rybakina! World number 1 and US Open champion. What a match. She was cool calm and collected through it all and Aryna Sabalenka was not. After the first few games it was quite clear how this was going. #USOpen

114h ago

Tom Hearden

@followtheh.bsky.social

Shout out Elena Rybakina US Open champion. She was the best player over the fortnight and a deserving winner.

124h ago

3 sources

abc.net.auBreaking: New world number one Rybakina dethrones Sabalenka in US Open final usatoday.comElena Rybakina wins US Open, denying Aryna Sabalenka three-peat bbc.co.ukUS Open 2026 results: Elena Rybakina beats Aryna Sabalenka to win New York title

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Elena Rybakina wins US Open, denies Sabalenka three‑peat

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