Life · Sport

Rybakina beats Sabalenka in the US Open final and becomes world number one

The New York final ended 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. It is Elena Rybakina's third Grand Slam title, her first US Open and the first WTA world number one ranking in Kazakhstan's history.

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Elena Rybakina on court at the US Open, racket in hand — Elena Rybakina at the US Open. Photo: Ocoudis / CC0

Elena Rybakina has won the 2026 US Open women's final in New York. She beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, claiming her first title at Flushing Meadows and confirming her place at the top of the world rankings.

How did the 2026 US Open final end?

Rybakina won in three sets — 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. She took the first, Sabalenka levelled in the second, and the decider swung back to Rybakina.

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The numbers explain the result better than the scoreline. Rybakina hit 36 winners to Sabalenka's 32, but made far fewer mistakes: 24 unforced errors against 35. She served 12 aces and won 85% of points behind her first serve. On return the gap was wider still — 41 points won to 25.

Why is Rybakina now world number one?

She reached top spot before the final, on the back of her semi-final run, ending Sabalenka's 99-week reign. The title simply confirmed it.

Rybakina is the first player from Kazakhstan to lead the WTA rankings. She is also the second player since Steffi Graf in 1995 to beat a reigning world number one in two Grand Slam finals in the same calendar year — at the Australian Open in January and now in New York.

How many Grand Slam titles does Rybakina have?

Three: Wimbledon 2022, the Australian Open in January 2026 and the US Open in September 2026. Two of the three came in a single season, which makes her the best Grand Slam performer of the year.

Afterwards Rybakina said it was hard to find words and that she had expected nothing like this when she arrived at the tournament.

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How much did the finalists earn?

The singles champion takes $5.5m, the runner-up $2.8m. The total 2026 US Open purse was $108m — up 20% in a year and 44% since 2024, a record for a Grand Slam.

Which British players won in New York?

Neal Skupski took the men's doubles title with Christian Harrison. Alfie Hewett won a fifth US Open wheelchair singles title, beating Tokito Oda, and a sixth doubles title alongside Gordon Reid.

The men's final between Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton was played on 13 September.

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Published 13 September 2026, 11:48 3 min read Editorial desk of the British newspaper ONLYWAY NEWS - LONDON - UK

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