During the match, Rybakina went 36-for-32 and committed 24 unforced errors to make 35. She won 85% of her first-serve points and 59% of her second-serve points, served 12 aces and five double faults and won 103 of 193 to return 4,251.
Weird first set
The first set was the strangest of the three. Rybakina hit 27% of her first serves and still won it, winning 68% of her points from second to Sabalenka’s 36% and breaking once at 2-2. Sabalenka saved four of five break points, including three at 1-1, and committed 15 unforced errors, making five.
The second set flipped each of those numbers. Sabalenka held all six of her service games, won 64% of her points on her second serve compared to 40% and cut her errors to eight while Rybakina made 13. She gave up two set points at 5-4, which Rybakina saved, and broke back at 6-5 at 7-5, with the deciding point coming on second serve.
The decider was quick. Rybakina broke for 1-1, rallied for 3-1 to lead 4-2, had two break points there and saw one saved by Sabalenka’s backhand on the back of the second serve, then broke again for 5-2 before the final game.
Number 1 specialist
Rybakina has now beaten the reigning world No. 1 in two Grand Slam finals in the same calendar year, a feat previously only accomplished by Steffi Graf in 1995. It was his tenth career win over a No. 1, 41st over a top-10 opponent and tenth of 2026, and 49th of the season. She is the queen of women’s tennis in 2026.
He joins the short list of players to win the Australian Open and the US Open in the same year; Graf in 1988 and 1989, Monica Seles in 1991 and 1992, Martina Hingis in 1997, Angelique Kerber in 2016 and Sabalenka in 2024. semifinals and finals, ousting Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday.
Sabalenka loses series, ranking and season
The loss ends Sabalenka’s 19-match streak at this tournament, a streak that goes back to the 2023 final, where she again lost to Coco Gauff. He is now 4-5 in Grand Slam finals.
He also leaves 2026 without a major for the first time since 2022, with “just” three titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami, as well as his two Grand Slam final defeats by the same opponent this year. He remains 10-8 and their record on hard court is now 7-8.
This time he broke the racket on the bench as soon as it was over. He did not wait to appear in the locker room, as in 2023.
