NEW YORK, Sept 12: Elena Rybakina produced a composed performance under pressure to defeat Aryna Sabalenka and win her first US Open women’s singles title on Saturday.
Rybakina, the second seed, overcame the top-ranked Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a high-quality final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory added another Grand Slam trophy to her collection and further strengthened her position at the top of women’s tennis.
The Kazakh player made a confident start, taking the opening set 6-4 before Sabalenka responded strongly in the second. The defending champion levelled the contest by taking the next set 7-5, setting up a decisive final set.
Rybakina remained composed when the pressure intensified and eventually closed out the championship match 6-4 in the deciding set.
The result marked another significant chapter in the growing rivalry between the two players. Sabalenka had entered the contest seeking a third consecutive US Open title, while Rybakina was aiming to add the New York crown to her growing Grand Slam résumé.
The victory also came after an impressive run through the tournament, with Rybakina defeating Coco Gauff in the semi-final before overcoming Sabalenka in the championship match.
The result is particularly significant for Rybakina, who had already established herself as one of the leading players on the women’s tour. Her success at Flushing Meadows gives her another major title and adds further momentum to her campaign at the top of the rankings.
For Sabalenka, the defeat ended her bid to extend her US Open dominance. The Belarusian had won the tournament in each of the previous two editions and arrived in New York as the defending champion.
The final nevertheless highlighted the strength of women’s tennis, with the world’s leading players producing another closely contested Grand Slam battle.