US Open: Elena Rybakina cements her spot as world No 1 by dethroning two-time winner Aryna Sabalenka in New York | Tennis News

Elena Rybakina cemented her position as world No 1 by dethroning two-time US Open winner Aryna Sabalenka to seal her maiden title in New York.

Rybakina won her first US Open, defeating top seed and defending champion Sabalenka ​6-4 5-7 ⁠6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 27-year-old was already guaranteed to replace Sabalenka in the top ranking next week.

Sabalenka was looking to become only the third woman to achieve a New York ‘three-peat’ in the Open era, after Chris Evert and Serena Williams.

Instead, she remained seated in her chair, furiously smashing her racquet to smithereens as Rybakina, from Kazakhstan, celebrated a third Grand Slam title.

An ankle injury had threatened to derail Rybakina’s campaign even before the tournament began, but she shrugged off those concerns to add the US Open title to her Australian Open triumph this year and Wimbledon success in 2022.

“Some magic is happening,” Rybakina said Sky Sports Tennis. “I was very unlucky with the injury (before the start of the tournament). I went day by day and my team was quite positive. Even at the beginning we didn’t know how it was going to be so I’m super happy and very proud. I still can’t believe it.

“I was relieved to get to No. 1, but I knew there were two more matches to push and it would be a milestone to win the tournament here, so I was focused and trying not to see too many messages.

“Everything worked today.”

All the ingredients of a classic…

The title showdown in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium had all the makings of a classic between the top two in the rankings.

Dressed in a yellow outfit that evoked a bee, Rybakina landed some stinging groundstrokes but was unable to counter the early pressure as Sabalenka unleashed big serves to hold on in the pair’s third Grand Slam final meeting.

The second seed drew first blood to go 3-2 ahead after a Sabalenka double fault, with the frustrated Belarusian earning a code violation soon after for launching a ball high into the stands.

Sabalenka’s exasperation became more and more apparent with each missed shot and each missed opportunity, in stark contrast to the composure on Rybakina’s face as the Kazakh tightened her grip on the opening set and squeezed her into a tight grip.

A sudden drop in Rybakina’s level midway through the second set gave the 28-year-old Sabalenka hope and she produced a stunning drop shot and a stunning cross-court winner en route to force a deciding set.

Sabalenka let out a roar after another backhand winner to hold on in a tight opening game of the third set.

However, Rybakina’s quality shone through her red-and-blue-framed racket as she took a commanding 5-2 lead and then wrapped up a famous triumph to leave her Belarusian rival without any major silverware in 2026.

Sabalenka said: “The last thing I want to do now is give a speech, but I will try my best. Thank you all. Thank you for all your support.

“I want to wish Elena an amazing year, an amazing result. Well deserved. Enjoy tonight and have fun. So that I can win some titles!

“I wish I had performed a little bit better, but I think there will be next year.”

She later spoke about hitting a ball into the crowd and breaking a racket during her press conference, saying: “It’s really hard to control your emotions when you lose in a Grand Slam final and you’re trying to go for a three-peat.

“I just wanted to let it go because if I kept it in, now or here or there on the court, I wouldn’t be able to say a word or I would just not go very well out there. I just wanted to let all that aggression and frustration out.”

The Tale of the Ribbon

Navratilova: Sabalenka just didn’t know what to do – she usually dominates!

Sky Sports Tennis Martina Navratilova:

“We don’t see that. It’s usually Sabalenka who does the bullying.

“I think that’s why Sabalenka didn’t know what to do. She’s used to dictating, putting people on the defensive, on their heels and shooting fast.

“Instead, it was all Rybakina doing to her. And I didn’t expect that.

“It’s not that Sabalenka lost the match, Rybakina won it. She earned that victory.

“It’s back to the drawing board for Sabalenka. What will she do next time if Rybakina plays so well?”

Bartoli: The incredible Rybakina can do anything on a tennis court

Tennis Sky Sports Marion Bartoli:

“Can you imagine her previous best result here was the fourth round?

“This is incredible, to come here with all the pressure of the world, knowing she had the world No. 1 ranking in her racket, to go on and win the title.

“The way she came back at the start of the third set tonight for me was absolutely incredible.

“It was like she completely forgot what happened at the end of the second set when she got caught in her service game.

“She just kept moving forward and moving forward the whole time.

“That young lady’s hitting is something else. She can do anything on the tennis court.

“She is only Roland Garros now short of completing a career Grand Slam.”

Robson: The main difference was Rybakina’s lights out

Laura Robson of Sky Sports Tennis:

“We were excited about this final for a good reason. Because of how well we know both of these players perform on big occasions like this.

“For Rybakina, without the support of the crowd on her side, she just didn’t back down.

“Yes, you can point to the double faults at the end, but under a lot of pressure, and Sabalenka tried to do everything to come back in the third set, she just kept shooting.

“It’s unbelievable how hard both of these players hit the ball. Their timing is phenomenal.

“The difference today was behind Rybakina, who was off from start to finish.”

The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Broadcast tennis without a contract in TANI AND The Sky Sports app. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25-27 live on Sky Sports.