Rybakina Ends Sabalenka's Triple US Open Quest

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan lifted her first US Open women’s singles trophy on September 13, 2026, completing a 6‑4, 5‑7, 6‑2 win over Aryna Sabalenka. The victory gave Rybakina her third Grand Slam title, adding to her Australian Open and Wimbledon triumphs.

Sabalenka, who was on the brink of a historic three‑peat, was left devastated. The emotional fallout was evident when she broke her racket in a fit of anger, an incident that quickly went viral.

Had Sabalenka succeeded, she would have joined an elite group, becoming only the third woman to win three consecutive US Open titles after Chris Evert and Serena Williams.

Rybakina, now a three‑time Grand Slam champion, still seeks the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam. Her win over Sabalenka also capped a season in which she defeated the Belarusian at the Australian Open.

In the press conference that followed, Sabalenka reflected on the difficulty of managing emotions in a Grand Slam final, explaining that suppressing her feelings would have left her unable to speak at all.