Elena Rybakina wins US Open, denies Sabalenka three‑peat

sportsSep 12, 202647791

Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to win the 2026 US Open, claiming her first U.S. Open title and third Grand Slam. Rybakina, who said, "It’s tough to find words right now," had been managing a minor injury but said things "aligned together" in New York. Sabalenka, seeking a third straight US Open and coming in after a 99-week run at No. 1, was undone by unforced errors, committing 14 of her 35 in the opening set and at times displaying visible frustration, including smashing her racket. The final was a hard-court rematch of the Australian Open final Rybakina won in January; their hard-court head-to-head now favors Rybakina 8-7. Rybakina surged to a 4-1 lead in the third set and closed out the match when Sabalenka could not handle a return on match point; Rybakina earned $5.5 million for the victory while Sabalenka took $2.8 million. Rybakina also dislodged Sabalenka from the top ranking after vaulting to No. 1 following her quarterfinal win over Qinwen Zheng, ensuring she will be world No. 1 on Monday.

CJ Fogler

@cjzero.bsky.social

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

12827d ago

bruabbaofficial.bsky.social5

Don't think I've ever seen Sabalenka lose with dignity

Rumpole of the Bayou2

I could do the first part of that

Morabeets 🍉 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈🌏♀️2

Such grace by the loser.

Poppa Doc1

Stick a fork in the Belarusian Barbie. Her reign has ended.

Quoting this

Micah54

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 Deitsch25

Man, she's had a year.

Along Came Poly-4-The-W6

got her ass. 👏 congrats Elena!

Matthew Terrill4

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 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.

9327d ago

attributionbias.bsky.social2

Fantastic tennis by Rybakina. Sabalenka is an arrogant winner, an abysmal loser, and an exceptionally poor advertisement for tennis as a sport.

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... 🇰🇿🩵🇰🇿

7227d 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.

6427d 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

5927d 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!

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

3627d ago

Don Moynihan

@donmoyn.bsky.social

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

3227d ago

RainOrShine991

Won it with an Ace! 🎾 Sharing this Getty Image:

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. 🎾

2627d 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.

2127d ago

Mark Taylor

@emarktaylor.bsky.social

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

2427d 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

1727d 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

2427d 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.

1627d ago

Quoting this

inthefade7

yeah, she's just a shitty person

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

1227d 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.

1427d 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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