Sabalenka falls to Rybakina in US Open final

The decisive match ended 4-6, 7-5, 2-6.

In the first set, Rybakina’s powerful first serve and a minimum of unforced errors allowed her to gain the upper hand against Sabalenka and close out the set at 6-4.

In the second set, Sabalenka stopped making errors on her backhand and began aggressively returning second serves, taking the set 7-5 to level the match at one set apiece. In the third set, however, Rybakina increased the depth of her shots toward the baseline, depriving Aryna of time to prepare. The result was an early break, control of the court, and the US Open championship title.

The title is Rybakina’s first in New York, while Sabalenka had triumphed here in 2024 and 2025.

As of Monday, Sabalenka is officially the world No. 2, having led the rankings for 99 (!) straight weeks. Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, will climb to the top of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career.

Press service of the NOC of Belarus