Elena Rybakina makes history: New queen of world tennis after conquering the US Open
Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina has written a golden chapter in her professional career by being crowned champion of the US Open. In an electrifying final played in New York, Rybakina overcame Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka with sets of 6-4, 5-7, and 6-2, in a display of high-level tennis that lasted for two hours and 21 minutes.
This triumph not only represents her third Grand Slam title, adding to her trophy cabinet after her successes at Wimbledon 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open, but it also holds special significance: it officially crowns her as the new number one in the WTA rankings, displacing Sabalenka from the top spot after 99 weeks of dominance.
A power-to-power duel
The match was a battle of strategies and power. Rybakina took the initiative from the first set, where her serve became a lethal weapon, achieving a key break in the fifth game that allowed her to take the opening set 6-4.
Although Sabalenka, who was seeking her third consecutive title at the New York tournament, managed to react in the second set by taking advantage of her opponent’s moments of doubt to level the score, Rybakina’s response after the break was decisive.
Rybakina demonstrated exceptional mental maturity by returning to the court in the third set, breaking Sabalenka’s serve early and maintaining a consistency that ended up sealing the championship with a dominant serve and a final ace.
Figures that support its rise
- Statistical dominance: Rybakina closed the final with 36 winners compared to her opponent’s 32, showing greater efficiency by capitalizing on 12 break point opportunities.
- Consolidation: With this trophy, the Kazakh adds her 14th title and her third crown so far in the 2026 season.
- Changing of the guard: The result puts an end to Sabalenka’s 99-week era at the top of the world rankings.
For Sabalenka, the end of the season leaves a bittersweet taste. Despite having had a solid year with victories in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami, the loss of her reign in the rankings and the inability to defend her Grand Slam titles mark a necessary turning point for her career.
For her part, Elena Rybakina consolidates herself as the undisputed figure of 2026. With the US Open in her possession, the Kazakh now sets her sights on the only Grand Slam still missing from her personal trophy cabinet: Roland Garros, the next great challenge for the new leader of women’s tennis.
