Rybakina ends Sabalenka's reign to win first US Open title

New York: Elena Rybakina captured her first US Open title after defeating defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final on Saturday. The victory earned the Kazakh player her third Grand Slam title and ended Sabalenka's 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, denying the Belarusian a third consecutive US Open crown. Rybakina, who won the Australian Open earlier this year and Wimbledon in 2022, overcame injury concerns ahead of the tournament to secure another major title. "It's tough to find words ... I didn't expect anything like this coming into the tournament," Rybakina said after the match. The final brought together the world's top two players at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Rybakina maintaining her composure throughout much of the contest. After taking the opening set 6-4, Rybakina saw Sabalenka fight back to claim the second set 7-5 and force a decider. However, the world No. 1 regained control in the third set, racing to a commanding lead before sealing the victory and the US$5.5 million winner's prize. Rybakina said winning the title and securing the world No. 1 ranking marked a significant milestone. "It's going to be different to wake up the next morning knowing you've won the U.S. Open and achieved the world number one ranking," she said. Sabalenka struggled at times to contain her frustration during the match. A double fault in the opening set handed Rybakina a crucial break, and the Belarusian later received a code violation after hitting a ball into the stands. "It's really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you're trying to go for the three-peat," Sabalenka said. Despite forcing a deciding set with some aggressive shot-making in the second, Sabalenka was unable to match Rybakina's consistency in the closing stages. The result also marked Rybakina's second Grand Slam final victory over Sabalenka this year, following her triumph in the Australian Open final. Play at the US Open concludes on Sunday with the men's final, where Ben Shelton will face top seed Alexander Zverev.