NEW YORK, SEP 13 (IANS): Elena Rybakina captured her first US Open title and third Grand Slam crown by defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in a thrilling final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Kazakh star, who had already beaten Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year, bookended her season with another major triumph, placing herself one Roland Garros trophy away from completing the Career Slam. The victory, achieved in two hours and 21 minutes, also ended Sabalenka’s 99-week reign as World No. 1, with Rybakina set to rise to the top of the rankings when they are updated on Monday.
Rybakina became only the third player since 2000 to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same season, joining Angelique Kerber in 2016 and Sabalenka in 2024. It was her third title of 2026 and the 14th of her career. She now holds an 8-10 record against Sabalenka, with her last three victories coming on the sport’s biggest stages: the WTA Finals championship match last year, the Australian Open final in January, and now the US Open final. In doing so, Rybakina became the first player to defeat the defending women’s singles champion in the US Open final since Serena Williams in 2002, and the first to beat the World No. 1 in the final since Williams overcame Victoria Azarenka in 2012.
For Sabalenka, the loss marked the end of her streak of winning at least one Grand Slam title every year since 2023, when she claimed her maiden major at the Australian Open by defeating Rybakina. The 2026 US Open was her last chance to extend that run, but Rybakina’s dominance denied her.
Harrison/Skupski win men’s doubles title
In men’s doubles, American Christian Harrison and Britain’s Neal Skupski clinched the 2026 US Open crown by defeating Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6(6) in Saturday’s final. The victory gave the pair their second Grand Slam title of the year, having already won the Australian Open men’s doubles in January.
The fifth-seeded duo held their nerve in crucial moments, saving a set point in the second-set tie-break before powering to victory in one hour and 39 minutes. Their campaign was remarkable, as they did not drop a set throughout the tournament.
They overcame Mark Wallner and Jakob Schnaitter in the third round, fourth seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the quarterfinals, upset top seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in the semifinals, and capped it off with victory over Krawietz and Puetz in the final.
By completing the run without losing a set, Harrison and Skupski became only the third men’s team in the Open Era to achieve the feat, following Peter Fleming and John McEnroe in 1983 and the Bryan brothers in 2008 and 2010. The triumph also brought redemption for Skupski, who had lost last year’s final with Joe Salisbury after squandering three championship points.
Together, Rybakina’s singles triumph and Harrison/Skupski’s doubles victory highlighted a dramatic and historic conclusion to the 2026 US Open, reinforcing the tournament’s reputation for producing defining moments in tennis.
