Rybakina dethrones Sabalenka for first US Open title — SkimNews
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- Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday to win her first US Open title, dethroning the two-time defending champion and snapping Sabalenka's 19-match US Open winning streak.
- Rybakina earned $5.5 million — the largest prize in Grand Slam history — while Sabalenka took home $2.8 million and smashed her racket after the loss.
- Rybakina will replace Sabalenka at No. 1 in the WTA rankings next week, ending Sabalenka's 99-consecutive-week reign at the top.
- The victory was Rybakina's third Grand Slam title and second this year (both over Sabalenka, including the Australian Open), leaving her one French Open shy of a career Grand Slam.
- Sabalenka repeatedly looked toward her coaches with palms up in frustration and double-faulted to hand Rybakina a 3-2 lead in the first set, a turning point she never recovered from.
Why it matters: Rybakina takes the No. 1 ranking from Sabalenka and pockets $5.5 million, the largest Grand Slam prize in tennis history. At 27, she now needs only the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam, having beaten Sabalenka in two of three 2026 major finals.
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