Elena Rybakina won her first U.S. Open women's singles title on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. Rybakina secured the victory with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
The match, which lasted 2 hours and 21 minutes, featured a matchup between the top two players in the world. Sabalenka entered the tournament as the world No. 1, a position she had held for 99 consecutive weeks, and was seeking to become the first woman to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams accomplished the feat from 2012 to 2014. Rybakina reached the final after a three-set semifinal win over Coco Gauff.
Rybakina won the first set 6-4, committing three unforced errors compared to 15 by Sabalenka. Sabalenka forced a third set by breaking Rybakina's serve to take the second set 7-5. In the final set, Rybakina broke Sabalenka twice and dropped only three points on her own serve, ending the match with an ace. Sabalenka finished the match with 35 unforced errors and received a warning for hitting a ball into the stands.
The results of this tournament will lead to a change at the top of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. On Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, Rybakina is scheduled to become the new world No. 1, while Sabalenka will move to the No. 2 spot. This marks Rybakina's second Grand Slam title of the 2026 season, following her victory at the Australian Open.
As the singles champion, Rybakina earned $5.5 million from a total tournament prize pool of $108 million. Sabalenka received $2.8 million as the runner-up. The victory also awards Rybakina 2,000 ranking points, moving her into the top spot in the Race to the WTA Finals at Indian Wells, while Sabalenka will be ranked second in that race.
Looking forward, the U.S. Open concludes on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, with the men's singles final. Top-seeded Alexander Zverev will face eighth-seeded Ben Shelton at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton is attempting to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003. Sabalenka, who did not win a Grand Slam title this year for the first time since 2022, stated she intends to return next year.