Aryna Sabalenka experienced a tough loss in her quest to defend her US Open title, as she fell to Elena Rybakina in a thrilling final match on September 12, 2026. The final score was 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, and the defeat left the Belarusian player visibly upset. In a moment of frustration, she smashed her racket on the court, reflecting her disappointment after missing the chance to secure her third consecutive US Open title, having won in 2024 and 2025.
Rybakina’s impressive performance ultimately ended Sabalenka’s reign at Flushing Meadows and earned her first US Open championship. After the match, while sitting with her team, Sabalenka seemed to want some privacy as she processed her emotions and waved away a video maker approaching her.
In the post-match press conference, she shared her feelings, stating, “It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in a final of a Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for 3-peat. If I were to hold it inside, right now on the court, I wouldn’t be able to say a word. I wanted to let go of all that aggression and disappointment outside.”
### Rybakina’s Path to Victory
The final match saw Rybakina start strong, taking the first set with her powerful serves and aggressive play. However, Sabalenka fought back in the second set, raising her game to level the match. In the deciding set, Rybakina found her rhythm again, using her precise groundstrokes and strong serve to take control. Sabalenka struggled to match her earlier performance, allowing Rybakina to wrap up the decider and clinch her first title at the US Open.
With this victory, Rybakina added to her collection of Grand Slam titles, having previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier in 2026. This win also marked her second victory over Sabalenka in a Grand Slam final this year, having defeated her at the Australian Open. Additionally, in the lead-up to the final, Rybakina had ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the world after defeating Zheng Qinwen. For Sabalenka, this loss meant she would finish the year without a Grand Slam title, with her last major win dating back to the US Open in 2025.
