Elena Rybakina has been crowned the US Open champion, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in a compelling final in New York. The victory marks Rybakina's third Grand Slam title and solidifies her position as the world's No. 1 ranked player.
Rybakina, who had previously secured wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, becomes the third woman this century to win both hardcourt Grand Slam tournaments in the same calendar year. Her performance in the final saw her overcome Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion who was aiming for a historic three-peat.
Throughout the match, Sabalenka struggled to maintain her composure, exhibiting frustration with unforced errors and visible distress as the match slipped away. In contrast, Rybakina maintained a calm demeanor, executing her game plan effectively. Sabalenka's difficulties were punctuated by racquet abuse, for which she received a warning and later appeared to smash her racquet on the court in the decisive third set.
While Rybakina's powerful serve is a noted weapon, she also demonstrated effective play on her second serves and excelled at neutralizing Sabalenka's powerful game. The Kazakh player consistently put pressure on Sabalenka's service games, ultimately securing crucial breaks.
Sabalenka showed signs of a comeback in the second set, her play becoming more accurate and her mood appearing to improve. However, Rybakina responded decisively in the third set, reasserting her dominance and capitalizing on Sabalenka's mounting errors. The final service game saw Rybakina clinch the championship with an ace.