AthleteWiki
Live
FOOTBALLXavi Xavi Embraces Netherlands Challenge With Immediate ContactFOOTBALLSilva Bernardo Silva Explains Why He Chose Real MadridFOOTBALLTorres Ferran Torres fires PSG to first Ligue 1 win with decisiveFOOTBALLHaaland Erling Haaland's Controversial Derby Winner PromptsFOOTBALL (Lawrence Trevor Lawrence's 4-TD Week 1 Performance Sparks JaguarsWRESTLINGMorgan Liv Morgan Loses Women's World Title to Stephanie VaquerFOOTBALLXavi Xavi Embraces Netherlands Challenge With Immediate ContactFOOTBALLSilva Bernardo Silva Explains Why He Chose Real MadridFOOTBALLTorres Ferran Torres fires PSG to first Ligue 1 win with decisiveFOOTBALLHaaland Erling Haaland's Controversial Derby Winner PromptsFOOTBALL (Lawrence Trevor Lawrence's 4-TD Week 1 Performance Sparks JaguarsWRESTLINGMorgan Liv Morgan Loses Women's World Title to Stephanie Vaquer

Aryna Sabalenka's US Open Reign Ends as Rybakina Claims

2026-09-13 · Aryna Sabalenka · Match Report

Aryna Sabalenka's US Open Reign Ends as Rybakina Claims

Aryna Sabalenka's 99-week reign as world No. 1 and her two-year hold on the US Open title are over. The Belarusian fell 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to Elena Rybakina in the 2026 final on Saturday, September 12, a defeat that saw her smash her racket in immediate frustration after the match.

Sabalenka entered the championship match on a 19-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, a run dating back to the 2023 final. She had powered past Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals, describing herself as "super desperate" to reach the final and chase a third consecutive crown. But in the title match, the dynamic flipped. Former champion Martina Navratilova observed that Sabalenka, usually the aggressor, was put on the defensive. "It's not that Sabalenka lost the match, Rybakina won it," Navratilova said. Sabalenka forced a deciding set but was ultimately overpowered, ending her quest to join Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to win three straight US Opens.

The defeat caps a complex season for the 28-year-old. She started the year with a loss to Rybakina in the Australian Open final. She then won back-to-back titles at Indian Wells and Miami in March but had a quieter summer leading into New York. This US Open final was her third Grand Slam title match of 2026, and her second runner-up finish to Rybakina on hard courts. The result also means she will surrender the top ranking to the Kazakh after 99 weeks at the summit.

Minutes after the final point, the post-match presentation drew sharp criticism from fans online. Many argued the format, which involved conducting interviews with both finalists on stage, was awkward and ill-timed. One fan called it "a disaster," while others pleaded for tournaments to simply hand players the microphone and let them speak. Sabalenka, who collected $2.8 million as runner-up, thanked the crowd, saying, "I really felt like home here and cannot wait to come back next year. I wish I could perform a little bit better but I guess next year."

The tournament featured significant financial and historical stakes. Rybakina's victory earned her a record $5.5 million, the largest prize in Grand Slam history. The match also decided the year's final major and the No. 1 ranking.

PlayerResultPrize Money2026 Grand Slam Titles
Elena RybakinaChampion$5.5 million2 (Australian Open, US Open)
Aryna SabalenkaRunner-up$2.8 million0
  • Elena Rybakina ended Aryna Sabalenka's 99-week stay as world No. 1.
  • Sabalenka's 19-match US Open winning streak, dating to 2023, was snapped.
  • Rybakina now leads their 2026 Grand Slam final meetings 2-0, both on hard courts.
  • Sabalenka missed the chance to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles.

More Aryna Sabalenka news →