Rybakina Wins US Open, Clinches World No. 1 on September 12, 2026

Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the 2026 US Open women's final on September 12, claiming her first US Open title and securing the world No. 1 ranking, per Front Office Sports. The 27-year-old's victory brings her third career Grand Slam title and second major championship of 2026. The win carries Rybakina to $35.32 million in career earnings, placing her 11th all-time and roughly $1.1 million short of the top 10, per Front Office Sports. She takes home the Grand Slam record prize of $5.5 million. Sabalenka receives $2.8 million for her runner-up finish, bringing her career total to $53.2 million, second all-time but more than $41 million behind Serena Williams, according to Front Office Sports. Rybakina's title denies Sabalenka a shot at three consecutive US Open victories, a feat accomplished only by Chris Evert and Serena Williams, per Front Office Sports. Sabalenka had held the world No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks before the tournament, per Front Office Sports. Four women entered the semifinals with a mathematical path to leave New York as world No. 1, per Front Office Sports. Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were eliminated in the semifinals, leaving Rybakina and Sabalenka to contest the ranking. Rybakina had clinched the world No. 1 ranking by advancing to the semifinals, according to Front Office Sports, securing enough points that even a Sabalenka victory and successful defense of 2,000 points would not prevent her ascension. Rybakina is now one French Open title away from a career Grand Slam, standing alongside Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner in that position, per The Guardian. She has won five titles on clay and eight on hard courts, according to The Guardian. Her 2023 Rome WTA 1,000 victory marked her best result on clay to date. Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov, whose provisional suspension began in January 2025 and whose ban was overturned on appeal in August 2025, remains at the center of scrutiny. The WTA concluded from an investigation that Vukov had engaged in abusive conduct toward Rybakina, per The Guardian. Before the ban, his on-court coaching interactions were widely criticized as often negative, critical, and relentless in nitpicking her faults, according to The Guardian. Since his reinstatement, The Guardian reports Vukov appears more likely to encourage Rybakina and offer sound tactical advice. Rybakina was critical of the WTA during the entire suspension period and afterward, and refused to pose for a photograph with then WTA chief executive Portia Archer after defeating Sabalenka at the WTA Finals, per The Guardian. Rybakina battled various health issues and injuries in 2024 and 2025, leading to numerous withdrawals and tournament retirements, according to The Guardian. Rybakina's team did not communicate before or after the final, per The Guardian, while three members of Sabalenka's team held a press conference on Friday to preview the match.