Why snatch one crown when you can snatch two? Elena Rybakina, new world number 1, is now the U.S. Open champion

Elena Rybakina came to the U.S. Open off of a bad foot injury, but it turned into one of the greatest Grand Slam title runs of all-time. She missed the entire first week of practice, but believed she could recover, focus, and play her way into this tournament… Think about how hard that is...

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 6:41 PM

When she won her quarterfinal match in Flushing Meadows, Elena Rybakina took over the number 1 spot that had been held by Aryna Sabalenka for 99 weeks. Then, for good measure, she beat two-time defending champion Sabalenka in today's final. This was, in my opinion, the cheekiest U.S. Open move since 2015, when Flavia Pennetta, about to retire from professional tennis, stopped by Flushing Meadows on her way out, and won the whole thing.

Rybakina's victory didn't surprise me at all, though I'm sure it surprised the panel at U.S. Open Radio, who--with the exception of Genie Bouchard--predicted that Sabalenka would win in three sets. Coming into the Open, Rybakina's only seriously doubtful factor was that she'd been dealing with a foot injury. Right up to the start of the tournament, in fact, she was constantly on the phone with her doctor in Australia, as she and her team assessed whether she'd be able to play in New York.

Sabalenka and Rybakina have a strong rivalry, and they were also the first and second seeds at the tournament, which added to the drama. The only thing that appeared "certain" (as far as tennis goes) is that the match would go to three sets. 

In the first set, Rybakina demonstrated an adaptability we hadn't seen from her before. The tall, quiet woman with the outstanding first serve had trouble, over and over, getting her first serve in. No problem--she began using her second serve as a weapon, and it worked. She won that set, 6-4. Rybakina's ability to get her first serve in improved in the second set, but so did Sabalenka's entire game. She cut down on the unforced errors and was able to use her own big hitting to make Rybakina less comfortable. The defending champion had to work hard, though, because--at 5-4--Rybakina served for the match. 

Not surprisingly, Sabalenka  put a stop to that, and eventually won the second set 7-5.  

Rybakina knew what to do: In the third set, she achieved a first serve win percentage of 100, and she hit fifteen winners, while making only six unforced errors, turning the set into the Rybakina Show. Serving at 2-4, Sabalenka was broken when Rybakina drove her to the far corner of the court, then delivered an expert volley. The new champion double-faulted on her first match point, but then hit an ace on her second one. 

Rybakina is now 8-10 against Sabalenka, but it's of interest that her last three victories against her have occurred in very big matches--the 2025 WTA Finals final, the 2026 Australian Open final, and today's final at the U.S. Open. 

The trophy ceremony delivered a nice touch when the champion received her trophy from Maria Sharapova, on the 20th anniversary of her U.S. Open victory.  Later, the commentators talked about the fact that the only major that Rybakina hasn't won is Roland-Garros, and that attaining that victory would be hard for her because she relies so much on big hitting. (I suppose that--now that they have a bond of sorts--Rybakina could consult with two-time Roland-Garros champion Sharapova about that.)