Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open women's singles final in New York on Saturday, September 12, 2026, a result that will make her the new world No. 1 when rankings update and hands Sabalenka her second straight loss to Rybakina in a 2026 Grand Slam final. Three weeks earlier, Rybakina couldn't even hold a racquet.
An Injury Scare That Nearly Derailed Everything
The Kazakh star's path to Flushing Meadows was anything but smooth. As The Associated Press reported, Rybakina sustained a foot injury at the Cincinnati Open and was forced to retire from her quarterfinal match against Iga Swiatek. According to Wikipedia, that August 20 injury was a foot problem that left her unable to hit a tennis ball for a full week before she even arrived at Flushing Meadows.
Given that lack of preparation, her run through the draw carried extra weight. In the semifinals, Rybakina rallied from a set down to beat 2023 champion Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to USOpen.org. The tournament notes that securing the No. 1 ranking added to the pressure Rybakina faced before she stepped onto the court for the final.
Ending a 99-Week Reign at the Top
Sabalenka, who is 28 and represents Belarus, had held the world No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks and won the previous two US Open titles, per the AP's reporting. She had reached three consecutive US Open finals and at least the semifinals every year since 2021 — a run of hard-court dominance that made Rybakina's victory all the more significant. Sabalenka had previously said she would be in trouble if Rybakina kept playing at her current level, the wire service noted.
When the updated WTA singles rankings are officially published Monday, Rybakina will become the 30th woman in tour history to reach world No. 1 — and the first player, male or female, representing Kazakhstan to hold the top spot in global tennis, according to the WTA. At 27, she's also the second-oldest first-time WTA No. 1 after Angelique Kerber's ascent in 2016. Kazakhstan Tennis Federation President Bulat Utemuratov called the achievement a transformative moment for youth tennis in the country, per TIME.
From Moscow to Kazakhstan
Rybakina was born and raised in Moscow but switched her sporting allegiance and citizenship to Kazakhstan in 2018 at age 19, according to the same TIME report — a move driven by the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation offering financial sponsorship that the Russian Tennis Federation had declined to match. The AP's reporting on the final confirms she was born in Russia and now represents Kazakhstan on tour.
Her third career Grand Slam singles title adds to championships at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships and the 2026 Australian Open, leaving her needing only a French Open title to complete the career Grand Slam, according to Roland Garros. That puts her among a select group of three-time major winners that includes Lindsay Davenport, Angelique Kerber, and Ash Barty. The AP notes she had not advanced beyond the US Open fourth round in any previous year before this run.
A Rivalry Tilting on Hard Courts
Sabalenka still leads their overall career head-to-head 10-8, but Rybakina now holds an 8-7 edge on hard courts after winning both the Australian Open and US Open finals against her this year, per Roland Garros. The pair split four meetings in 2026 overall, the AP reported, but it was the two Grand Slam finals that mattered most. By capturing this US Open, Rybakina added it to her 2025 WTA Finals and 2026 Australian Open titles, according to The Guardian, which also reported she has built a 1,007-point lead over Sabalenka in the WTA Race to the Finals.
Rybakina credited her team for the turnaround. She said her success resulted from a strong team and continued work, according to the AP, and added that waking up after achieving major accomplishments would be amazing. She also said the tournament was especially stressful because she was simultaneously competing for the No. 1 ranking and recovering from injury.
A Record Payout, Then the Tax Bill
The financial stakes matched the historic nature of the win. The 2026 US Open offered a total prize pool of $108 million — a 20 percent increase over 2025 and the largest purse in tennis history — guaranteeing Rybakina a record $5.5 million winner's payout, according to Town & Country. Even first-round main-draw losers earned a record minimum of $140,000 this year.
The article does not address the tax treatment of the prize money.
Bigger Changes Off the Court
The women's final also arrived alongside broader shifts in how the sport governs itself. Ahead of this year's US Open, the four Grand Slam tournaments jointly announced the creation of the Grand Slam Player Advisory Council, giving players formal input into tournament governance and welfare matters after 18 months of negotiations over revenue sharing. Players including Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton publicly backed the initiative.
The AP also noted other numbers from the 2026 season: Rybakina finished with three tour titles and 49 victories on the year, while Jessica Pegula logged 50 wins of her own. Mirra Andreeva won the French Open earlier in the season, a reminder of just how wide open women's tennis has become heading into 2027 — with Rybakina now positioned to try to complete her career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
